What Are Friends For?
by Joei Write
Summary: Mumble and Gloria adopt an orphan penguin they find, and love him like he's their own. But they learn that the sweet little chick they took in has a dark past to his name, and that he's never sang. And so, the penguin they call 'son' was a sole survivor of a nation-wide disaster which killed his parents and wiped out his nation. Years pass, but he's never been alone...
1. Meet Age

**Here's the Happy Feet FanFic, as promised! Since I can't actually be in the story, I'll just simply put a character in that mirrors me. If you've read my profile page, you'd know that I'll always include myself in my stories under the name of Age. For now, he's a boy penguin in the same generation as Erik, Bo and Atticus. The setup is after the end of the movie, so there'll be a minimum number of spoilers. Don't worry, go see it anyway! Btw, Age, Erik, and Mumble share the title of main character. **

What are Friends For?

Chapter 1

Meet Age

The sun was just beginning to set as the last few penguins climbed out of what used to be Emperor Land. Mumble and Gloria were still staring into the eyes of their son, Erik. Mumble still couldn't believe that he was his son. He'd been such an outcast as a chick, and then he went to the aliens, somehow got back, ended up with his one true love, and now had a chick of his own with as much strength and courage to inspire countless generations of emperors. The stare of disbelief was broken by Seymour coming up to Mumble with a number of questions.

"Yo Mumble, we got ourselves a problem, where the heck do we go?" he asked failing his flippers up in the air. Mumble knelt down to Erik and whispered,

"Uh, why don't you go play with the other kids and I'll meet up with you later, huh Erik?" he asked his spunky little boy.

"After all we've done…I could use a little fun." He said running off with Bo and Atticus. Before they completely ran off, Atticus came 'round and shouted,

"Hey Uncle Mumble, just outta curiosity, you got any idea what we be doing from here?" from afar Atticus could see Mumble shake his head no. "That's iight, we gonna be hanging 'round the water for a little."

"No, don't go near the water, there might be some leopard seals or orcas nearby!" he yelled to them. Erik waddled his way back to his daddy and hugged his leg and then said,

"Don't worry Pa, we'll be fine. There are still so many penguins, the amigos, the other penguins from that place, Sven is still here and all those elephants seals aren't going anywhere fast. That would have to be a dummy seal or whale to come near here." Mumble couldn't help but smile at his boy, still in disbelief that he was his son.

"Alright Erik, but don't be too long, I got a feeling that we're only gonna be here for a night, then we'll probably start searching for a new place to live." He gave his son permission, then they scurried their little bodies towards the ocean.

"You're a good daddy Honey. I'm so proud of you." Gloria said to Mumble. "Seems you've finally learned when to stop digging when you're in a ditch."

"Yeah no kidding," he said with a smile, "oh, come on don't think I left you out of this." He said, and then she moved closer and nuzzled him on his neck, he then did the same. "You're just as, _fish_, as you were on our day of graduation." She blushed and felt as warm as she had in years, with Mumble as her mate, she felt like she could do anything.

"Pardon me Mumble, but we still ain't got no plan!" Seymour said with his flippers once again raised into the air.

"Calm down Seymour, for now were just gonna stay here for the night. We'll start looking for a new home in the morning." Seymour then looked at Gloria, and she nodded her head in agreement. "Sven!" Mumble called, he came from around an ice block and answered Mumble's call.

"Yes…what can the Sven do for you Great Penguin?" the puffin was still a bit weary from being exposed as a bird, not a penguin.

"Help spread the word, we're staying here tonight we'll be going to search for a new home in the morning." Mumble ordered him.

"Yepper di! Right away my friend!" he then sped off saying the words to other penguins he flew past.

Mumble began to look for a place he and Gloria could rest, and the soon found a spot under an ice curve and nestled in together. All around them, other penguins were also looking for a nice, cozy spot to rest. Mumble looked at Gloria and said,

"Wow, you're much more beautiful after you've been rescued." He said staring into her endless eyes.

"Well…you've just earned yourself a lullaby mister, for best flattery." She said as she got up.

"A lullaby is great, may I help you?" he just then got up ready to dance when his foot popped and he leaned over in pain, remembering that since his foot got caught on the ice, he had hurt it badly. "Uh, never mind. I think I'm gonna have to sit this one out."

"That's alright Mumble, because this is to you anyway." She said and turned around and shouted so as to get everyone's attention. They all looked as she spoke, "Some of us are having trouble getting comfortable, and so I think a song is in order." The other penguins readied to help her when she said, "No, I don't want help, I have to do this all by myself." They all sat back down, prepared to listen.

Gloria was at the top of her class, and was in the agreed opinion of the Elders that she had one of the most powerful voices to ever hit the ears of a penguin, adelie or emperor alike. "I dedicate this song to Mumble. The best husband and father, a girl like me could ever ask for." **(Little heads up, this song is not in the movie, I wrote it myself in about a week. This is the full song so tell me if you think I should record it on Audacity and put it on YouTube.) **Gloria took a deep breath and began to sing another song that came into her heart.

_Just when I think, I was gone_

_I heard your voice_

_You made me a promise, to bring me back to life_

_After a while, I had my doubts_

_But then I never thought I'd knew_

_I felt your hand and you pulled through_

_Even from across the void_

_You kept your promise till the end_

_And for this, I'll sing to you_

_Anyway_

_For some time things were great_

_I needed you near me to say "Hey fate!"_

_Look what I found_

_Oh sweet bliss, I can't believe you love me_

_But that day, oh that day_

_You lost faith_

_And to my horrid wake_

_I was forced to push you away_

_And still I'll sing to you_

_Anyway_

_The pain, the damage, I couldn't repair_

_Though you seemed to do better_

_As each day went by, I died_

_But still I'll sing to you_

_Anyway_

_Yeah, I will sing, oh, I'll sing!_

_I'll sing to you always!_

_Yes, oh, I'll sing, yeah, I'll sing to you forever!_

_Always and always_

_I will sing to you,_

_Yeah_

_I'll sing to you, anyway_

_To you_

_Anyway _

Mumble was speechless, he couldn't fathom the idea that that song was for him.** (This song is based off of the evens of the first film coupled with occasions of my actual relationship, what do you think?) **The penguins cheered and clapped as Gloria walked back to her husband and curled up next to him. "Oh Gloria, there's no words for what you just did for me. How can I repay you?"

Gloria knew exactly what she wanted. "Just tell me you love me Mumble, never leave me, and say how, _fish_, I am a little more often." Mumble just smile at her request.

"Alright, I love you Gloria, I always have, and I promise, I always will. I'd never leave you for anyone and no one is as fish as you." She leaned in and gave him a kiss and snuggled up next to him and quickly fell asleep in him warm and loving embrace. Mumble had always felt this way around Gloria, but tonight was something else, he himself quickly fell into a deep sleep, not worrying of what might come in the morning.

(Near the edge of the ocean with Erik, Bo, and Atticus)

All the creatures nearby had stopped moving to listen to Gloria sing to Mumble, and they were just as speechless as Mumble was when she was finished. They then continued with their trip home while some demanded an encore. Erik had always loved the sound of his mother's voice, even in the darkest of times; she has managed to touch Erik's heart with her singing. This had been proven when she sang _Bridge of Light_ to him. **(This is my new favorite song go listen to it it's so powerful!) **As they continued their way down to the ocean Bo stopped and said to Erik,

"Your mama has a very pretty voice, when I get big I wanna have a voice just like that. How about you Atticus? What do you think of his mama's voice?"

"Eh, it's ait. It's just not my kinda style if ya know what I be saying."

"Atticus!"

"No Bo, it's okay, that's what he thinks, he's allowed to." Erik stepped in.

"Sorry Erik, it's just, my mama says she's never had such different students at Penguin Elementary as your mama and daddy. And I feel sort of, same." Erik and Atticus both looked at each other in confusion.

"Same? What do you mean Bo?" Erik asked, showing large amounts of concern.

"Atticus is the only penguin I hear doing his kind of singing besides his daddy. And you, you have the potential to be good at singing and dancing. Me, I'm just another penguin in the crowd with no stand out potential." Bo made it clear to them that she had a serious emotional problem. Atticus was about to speak when a voice broke out from an unknown source.

"No one…has been more of an outcast than me…"

The three friends searched for the source of the voice but couldn't find anyone around besides the huge wave of creatures still departing from the site of the disaster and relief.

"Hello? Who's that?" Erik asked to the area around him.

"Yeah, who that be punk! Come on out here or I'm gonna give you a piece of my flipper!" Atticus always acted so confident; he must've got that from his dad.

"Over here you guys." The voice said. The three spun around to the water's edge and saw a young chick about their age.

The poor little fellow looked like he'd been beaten up by the world and thrown back to the ground to get trampled on, twice. As they approached him they noticed more in detail of his features. He had a scar across the inside of his left flipper, deep green eyes, unusually lighter baby down than Bo, Atticus, and definitely Erik. His head was staring down into the water as if he was waiting for a monster to rise to the surface and swallow him up. The three friends hurried to his side and began to try to make him feel a little happier. This chick's voice was medium pitched, and sounded like he's spent too much time talking to himself. Erik most of all instantly felt sorry for this penguin.

"Whoa, what be up with you man?" Atticus asked.

"Atticus! Be nice, he's obviously got a problem or two." Bo said and then looked at the little penguin.

"We never caught your name." Erik said kind of shyly.

"Age…"

"What?" Erik said.

"Age, my name is Age. Or at least, I think that's my name. No one has said my name since…" he stopped midsentence and just broke down and cried.

"What's wrong?" Bo asked all concerned.

"Well, if you really wanna know, I could tell you. But I really don't like talking about it."

"Dude, just spill it we don't got no time for this." Atticus demanded.

"Atticus!" Erik yelled to him.

"No, it's okay, I'm used to getting yelled at. Anyways, I can't remember exactly when it was, but I know it didn't happen too long ago. See what happened was…"

(Flashback)

The sun had just touched the top of the mountain that cast a shadow over the place where Age had lived. He and the other penguins of his generation were all just starting to hatch and Age had been a little late to come out. He looked up to his daddy and spoke his first words.

"D-da?" he squeaked.

"Yes son, it's me, come on out here show everyone what you look like." His pa told him. Age then slowly stepped onto the ice and looked around him. The sun was high, many other little penguins were walking around him and there was this big pointy thing in the sky.

"Pa? What's that big thing over there?"

"That there is a mountain."

"Is it gonna fall on us?" his pa laughed.

"No son, it's not." Just then one of his Pa's friends came over with his chick and greeted them both.

"So, how's the chick? Is it a boy or a girl?" his buddy asked.

"It's a boy, and I gotta say he already reminds me of me."

"Well my little girl makes me think of her mama. Those deep green eyes, that tender, sweet voice."

"Hmm, well I see it. Yeah she does look like Amanda." Just then he noticed their chicks meet eyes. Age began to sway and the little girl got wide eyed. She jumped off of her daddy's feet and waddled over to the chick.

"Hi, I'm Hayley, who are you?" the little girl asked him.

"Umm… I'm…I'm…" he didn't know how to respond so he simply said "Cold." The little girl giggled and said,

"Your name is Cold?"

Seeing as how Age was a newly hatched, he knew nothing about names or how they identify who you are. So he turned to him Pa and asked him a very basic question.

"Pa, what's my name?" he thought for a moment and answered his boy.

"I believe you've just named yourself, Cold." He stared into his Pa's eyes then turned back to Hayley and answered her question.

"I'm Cold, nice to meet you, Hayley." She laughed and said,

"It's good to meet another penguin who isn't afraid to talk to me, everyone I've met so far has said 'Hi' then ran off."

"I don't see why. You're very…fluffy." **(Amateur penguin flattery)** She giggled and turned away and ran off to hop up on her Pa's feet, and he then gave Age's dad a look like they knew the two chicks were bound already.

In the following two weeks, the two attended Penguin Elementary and grew very fond of each other. They were rarely seen without one another and constantly made each other laugh. But the day that separated the two was the day when they had to show their heartsongs, a day Age would always regret. As they swarmed into the class in a small cave at the base of the mountain, the teacher could tell they were all amped up and ready to sing for the first time.

"Alright class today we will be learning the most important lesson you'll never learn here. Does anyone know what I'm talking about?" asked the teacher. Several guesses went out like swimming, rock climbing, and fishing, but the correct answer came from two young penguins at the back of the class who said it in unison.

"Our Heartsong." Cold and Hayley both said.

"Very good you two, why don't we go outside today to show all of our fellow penguins what you younglings are capable of. But first let your song come to you, take a deep breath and think hard…" the students thought very hard as they all waddled outside and a few volunteers went first. The adults loved all the songs they heard. **(These are all mine, I wrote all of them) **First to go was a young girl whose song raddled the ice sickles hanging above.

_I will sing _

_From now till spring_

_I love to do it _

_I don't know why_

_But when I do I feel so_

_Alive_

The next song was more of an old school song sung by a boy penguin that seemed to infatuate the girls with every note.

_What can I say?_

_Huh, yeah, oh, oh, oh_

_What can I say?_

Several songs went around until Hayley stepped up and said, "Cold? Will you help me with this?" He felt sort of stunned at first, but soon he walked out with her and background sang for her.

_I'm on the ground_

_Nowhere to go_

_But still I'll soar_

_Higher and higher_

_Till I touch the sky_

_Oh, oh_

_Higher and higher_

The people were breathless. They loved her so much and gave their applause in the form of clapping and demanded that her little partner go next. "Good luck Cold." Age stepped up to the center and gave his heartsong a quick listen and tried his best to remember it. He took a deep breath and sang,

_Yeah, yeah, yeah… I see the morning_

_Shine on my heart_

_I see the nighttime _

_Cover my doubts_

_There is no way_

_That I'm dreaming of this feeling_

_And I still can't believe _

_What I see_

The crowd went wild at Age's song. They cheered and clapped and even his fellow students crowded him and gave him a warm embrace. However, Age felt something missing, someone wasn't nearby. He assumed Hayley was gone and when he looked around, she was nowhere to be seen. He pushed his way through the crowd of penguins as the students continued to sing their heartsongs, and he climbed a little ways up the mountain following Hayley's tracks in the snow. He found her crying her little eyes out and she turned around at the sound of him approaching.

"Go away." She said.

"Go away? But Hayley, we're friends; we've always had one another's back."

"Looks like that changed today huh? How could you? I sang my hardest and you turn around after me and totally humiliate me in front the whole nation. Even my own parents were clapping louder for you than for me."

"Hayley…"

"JUST GO AWAY!" she screamed at the top of her lungs.

Just then they felt a rumble, and they heard a roaring sound. Then, they were both instantly swept away by a colossal avalanche. "HAYLEY!" Age shouted at the top of his lungs. Through the noise of the snow crushing in around him he heard the penguins at the base scream with fright and panic to get out of the way. But it was no use; the whole nation was wiped clean of the penguins and the newly found heartsongs of the next generation. After the snow had stopped, there was little movement. Only a few penguins that were lucky enough to be buried at the top of the snow pushed their way to the surface, only about twelve did this, among them was Age. The snow around them began to soak in crimson redness with the blood of the crushed penguins and chicks. With no hope of finding their families, the survivors formed up and began to walk away, not saying a single word to each other or without shedding a single tear. Age had decided to stay behind to weep at what he had caused, and then suddenly a weak voice broke his crying, it was Hayley's pa.

"Cold? Is…is that you?" Age ran over to him and tried to comfort him in his final moment of life.

"Yes, it's me, I'm here." He said still crying loudly.

"Listen…to me…Cold…"

"I'm listening Sir."

"Hayley is…bound to you. She's…your true love. Please…take care of her…for me."

"I will, but I don't know anything about love. I don't even know what that is."

"Love…can't be…described. It's a tale…a story…a treasure. Something that…is a song…that's sung forever. Kneel boy…" Age then knelt before his true love's dying father.

"I give you my…blessing…" he coughed and blood came out, "Rise as my…son-in-law, and tell this story…to your children…until old age…age…age…age…" the last word escaped as he drew his last breath and then moved no more.

Age was in no condition to travel, his left flipper was badly gashed, and his little body was soaked in his own tears. 'Age'; this was the penguin's last word. When Age arose from the ground in front of the dead penguin, he spoke loud and clearly no matter how much pain he was in.

"I…am no longer Cold, son of Gilbert and Renee; here I stand at the end of one nation. But it will bring rise to another, one of compassion, loyalty and love; a tale older, and more priceless than any ever known." The other survivor penguins had stopped their flee to listen to this chick speak, and they were utterly speechless by the power of his voice. "From here, we must stand as one; we're all that's left of a once great nation. Never shall someone else ever go through was we have just endured." The group was still listening intently for his finish.

"I am Age, without a reason to sing, I will lead you penguins on, hoping, that when all is said and done, we'll find inner peace." As Age pronounced his new being, the others just said his name as he waddled through them, leading them into the unknown. Cold was dead, but Age had been born under the destruction of an entire civilization, an event that would shape the life of the refugees, and his lost love, Hayley.

(End of Flashback)

"After that, we were picked off one by one by whales, seals, hunger and the cold. All that's left of the whole nation is me and my nanny." Age finished.

"And where is your nanny?" Erik asked.

"She's out there…somewhere, hunting for our dinner." He said gesturing to the ocean.

"So, everyone you knew is…gone?" Bo asked, welling up with tears.

"My nanny wasn't even my nanny before the disaster. She became my nanny after we started searching for a new home. She looked out for me, and even as we speak she's risking her life for me trying to catch our dinner." As he said this the water's surface was broken and a black, white, and red blur shot out. It was Age's nanny.

"Roxy! Roxy! Are you okay?" Age asked frantically. In her mouth was a single fish, and she dropped it, and collapsed.

"It's okay Age. I'm going somewhere…nice." She said as she let her head fall back.

"Roxy?" No response, "Roxy! No, not you too! I can't be all that's left! Please Roxy please!" But unfortunately, Roxy, along with the rest of Age's nation was gone.

Age felt the weight of his nation suddenly pushing down on him. The pressure to carry the hopes of his nation was too much for him, and he collapsed on the spot, unconscious.

When he awoke, it was early morning for Age. Around him he saw hundreds of penguins sleeping with their chicks and mates. He kept turning his head until he spied Erik and Gloria asleep under the ice curve. He was readying to cry when a voice broke out, a voice of peace, of hope,

"Curious, isn't it?" he spun around to find Mumble standing away from him overlooking the ocean.

"What's curious?" Age asked.

"Curious how the smallest of us…wind up playing the biggest role."

"I'm sorry sir, I don't understand what you mean."

"Age, I'm Mumble, Erik's father, and you, you are Age, the death and rebirth of an entire nation. Is this correct?" he nodded his head. "Erik told me everything, your pa, your singing, the avalanche, but what intrigued me the most was the part about your friend, Hayley."

"She's not my friend Mr. Mumble, she's my love." This stunned Mumble a little.

"She's your love? Aren't you a little young to decide you've found the one?"

"Come on Mumble sir, you can't tell me you didn't find your mate at an early age?"

Mumble thought back to the day he was born. He hadn't even fully gotten out of his egg and Gloria was already chasing after him. How she gave him his name, how she stuck up for him, and how she decided she never heard the right song from anyone other than him. He realized Age was right, and told him so.

"I guess you're right Age. I suppose it's never too early to find your true love. I found mine the day I was born." Just then another voice broke out and this voice was the most soothing of all.

"Of course he's right Mumble." It was Gloria; their conversation had awakened her and Erik from their sleep. "And now it's time to tell him the good news." She said.

"What good news?" Erik asked from underneath his mama's chin. Gloria then gestured to Mumble for him to continue.

"Age, we've been told your story, and we know that you've been through more than any penguin should ever go through. I also know you're looking for a new home now that you're all that's left of your nation."

"Yes, I know, so where do I go? Who will I live with?" Age questioned.

"We've decided…to let you live with us." Mumble said. Erik got wide eyed and instantly asked in excitement.

"What? Really!" he jumped in his spot.

"Yes really," Mumble looked at Age and said the best words he'd ever heard, "Age…son…meet your new pa, mama, and brother." Mumble finished and Age weld up in tears and he ran to his new family. He hugged Gloria's leg, and then cried all over Mumble's feet, and then turned towards Erik.

"Brother…?" Age said aloud. Erik spread his flippers apart and said,

"Brother…" Age ran into a hug that to him lasted forever.

The new family all curled up together and never felt closer to one another. Gloria fell asleep in Mumble's flippers and Erik and Age were all cozy and safe between them. In the morning the penguins set off to find new place to call home, and it didn't take very long at all. They all finally settled down nearby a cliff overlooking the ocean that had a great view of the sunrise and set, and the perfect height for jumping into the ocean, not to mention a clever cleavage in the ice for climbing back up. Many ice formations coated the area and made for perfect homes and new schools. And for the family, things have never been better. Over the next few years, Age and Erik were grown to have beautiful bodies that attracted all the girls. Even though Erik's opera voice was a certified chick magnet, Age was still scared by his past. He still had no reason to sing.

**I feel so sorry for Age. Remember that Age is supposed to be a mirror of myself, so, yeah that's right. I love to sing but I have no reason to, and I've lost almost everyone I care about. But I found a new family amongst my friends, and I can't repay them for that, ever. Even though I haven't found my true love yet, I'll keep holding on until she comes around. I'm putting his heartsong on YouTube anyway, but please comment on the other songs. There all written by me. **


	2. Somewhere

**Here's the second chapter! Not all the songs in this chapter are by me. I think it's obvious which. Enjoy! There might be a 3****rd**** chapter if I think there's blanks, or if I just can't fit it all in. This is not going to my only Happy Feet story.**

What are Friends For?

Chapter 2

Somewhere

The time to find the one with the right song was bearing down on the two brothers. One with a voice that did nothing less than inspire those around him, the other, with a voice that hadn't been heard in, what seemed to be, to him, a lifetime. Erik had passed Penguin Elementary tests and exams with the highest scores and was deemed the top of the class, while Age refused to sing all those years. The whole time, all Age ever did was back his brother up in his voice, and think about Hayley. Erik also was starting to notice girls, but he only had his mind set on perfecting his opera skills. While the two began to make more progress with their new life, and Age even started hanging out with Atticus and Bo, Age still wanted to sing, but he couldn't. After all this time, after all this doubt, the still young penguin, still forever carrying the weight of his former nation on his shoulders, he still had no reason to sing. From what Age had told his family and friends, he also had the top voice in his class, but his singing voice had been silenced ever since. The day were they sang to each other to find the one was a week away, and Erik was determined to get his little brother to sing. One day he called on some reinforcements to help him out, meaning his buddies, to play a game they always had, Catch or Chorus. To play, the first to catch a fish was safe; everyone else had to sing the chorus of a song. Erik knew Age was a skilled fisher because of Roxy's training before her injury and death, so he figured this was gonna be easy, more or less.

"When he catches that fish, he'll have to sing it's the rules, and we all know how much Age is a rule follower!" Erik said while gathering Atticus and Bo. He was so confident in his plan.

"I don't know 'bout this man, I mean would it be possible if the guy, ya know, doesn't?" Atticus clearly felt a need to state the obvious.

"Come on Atticus, how dumb do you think Erik is? Of course he knows that could happen, he's smarter than that." Bo had been a great friend to both brothers, and she backed both of them up whenever she could and against anyone. "Besides we've got our plan all figured out. We'll delay in the water while he'll be the only one actually catching any fish, Erik you're a genius!"

"Don't flatter me Bo, anyone could've thought of it." Erik was so subtle. He never took full credit for anything. He always gave credit where credit was due; he was nothing short of, to Bo, a true friend.

She had always wondered what it would be like if she was the one that Erik liked. Her heartsong was beautiful to her parents, but over the years she'd never let Erik hear it. Sometimes, she even had fantasies of what their chicks would look like. Her fantasy son, Jake, running around singing slow, powerful, meaningful songs while Erik just smiled and said, 'That's my boy…'. Some days, she imagined a baby girl, Tori, dancing around to her grandpa's tapping. Bo felt a yearn to have a child more and more as each day went by. And now as the time finally came around, she only had one thing on her mind; find _him_ and sing with him. But Bo knew better than to have such wild fantasies without attracting any attention. She kept all her thoughts to herself and died a little each day from heartbreak. But right now, Bo wasn't focusing on her own, deep desires, right now she needed to be there for her friend, and her wants didn't even cross his mind.

"Alright, if you say so." Bo said grinning at Erik, in which he grinned back as they continued towards the ocean. Erik felt a song well up in him because he loved when Bo looked at him like that. He took a deep breath and sang his opera. **(This is just a piece; you'll hear the full version later)**

_Don't stop_

_Go on, forever_

_I love the way you look at me_

_Please be a heart in song_

_Be the storm of peace and quiet_

_And give me the hope, to_

_Love _

Bo still couldn't believe how clear and sound Erik's voice was. It was almost like his voice was made for love songs. To her, no one was better than him. She felt a need to tell him he was the best so many times but she was afraid of making him think she liked him, because she did.

"Oh Erik, that was…beautiful." Was all she could say.

"Thanks Bo, I can't wait to hear your song next week. I know I'll charm someone, especially since the guys gotta sing to the girls." Erik never heard Bo's heartsong, but he supported her all the way regardless. "How about you Atticus? What do you have planned for next week?" Atticus had grown to be a plump emperor just like his pa. However he found no shame in that, in fact, girls actually seemed to like a bigger guy in the long, cold winter.

"Eh, I ain't doin' nothin'. Immna just do my thing, walk my walk, and if dat girl wants to roll my way, then let er'." Atticus seemed to know exactly what was gonna happen, which he didn't. No one did, it was completely unpredictable, the week of pairings. As soon as Bo took in that thought, she was instantly outraged by what she thought it meant.

"Atticus! You make it sound like you're just gonna pick the girl you like the best. Don't you care about true love?" The words boiled up from her throat like an enraged krill being fired from a hungry whale's mouth.

"No, not really, I don't believe in true love. That's something my pa taught me. He said his true love was taken away from him and he had to settle for my mama, which was just another girl on his back up list in case he didn't get choice number one."

"That's horrible Atticus! Who snatched away his true love?" Erik asked, because he was just that kind of penguin.

"I don't know, he won't say. He's never said anything about it after the day you and me became buds. He was about to tell me when my Uncle Mumble and you met up with us for the first time, since then, he hasn't said a word about it." **(That's referring to how Seymour kept trying to impress Gloria in the first Happy Feet, and how he was destroyed when she chose Mumble over him.)**

"Aww! Well that's way too bad, but you really shouldn't rant on true love. You can't hide from it, it kind of, hunts you down." Erik said thinking about his Ma and Pa,…and Bo.

"Eh, maybe your right…, but Immna not think 'bout that right now. We gots some things that needs doing, so let git going y'all." He said clapping his flipper and waddling ahead of the other two.

Erik looked at Bo, and she looked at him, they both just shook their heads and hurried after their friend. Erik was beginning to focus on the task at hand, he had to hurry and find his brother. There was uncertainty in Erik's mind about his plan, but he figured he'd have to try. In his heart he knew there was only one penguin that could make his little brother sing, but she had been long since dead. So he abandoned all hope of finding her, and focused on doing it himself. At the same time, he also couldn't shake this feeling of serenity walking side by side with Bo. Perhaps it was an omen of something?

(At Age's secret spot where he went to think)

The sun was still high in the sky, and the ice crevasse that hid a young, adolescent, silenced penguin seemed smaller than it normally did. The light reflected into the narrow passage way and the refractions danced off the ice walls. Inside, a penguin leans against the wall, staring into the ocean, wondering if his time had come, if it was finally time to break his streak of silence.

_Maybe there is someone else? It's a big world, there always someone else to have, to hold, to love,… to push away! _He screamed in his head, he was always angry at himself for the pain and suffering his singing had caused. The fact that the thing he loved to do the most destroyed the things he cared about the most made him hate his own voice. In a way, one could say, he hasn't heard himself sing aloud in almost his whole childhood and teenaged years. Often he sang in his head, but when he tried out loud, he always whimpered and backed out at the last minute. He also had started talking to himself, a sure fire way of telling he was losing it.

"Oh, Hayley, where ever you are, whether you're here with me or watching me from above, I miss you. And I promise I'll never forget about you, no matter who likes my song next week." He said to himself, and then turned to walk away.

Soon the four friends found one another, and they tricked Age into playing Catch or Chorus with them. It happened in a more or less, mind tricking manner.

"Age! There you are! We've been looking all over for you! Where have you been?" Erik said to his brother.

"Oh nowhere, just been away…thinking."

"Again? Wow little bro, you really got to get to your senses, that's the fifth time in the last…" looks at the sun, "day and a half."

"I know, hey, anyone wanna play a game?" the perfect set up, just what the three we're waiting for.

"I know! We can go sledding, or play that silly dancing game, or, ooooo! Maybe we can even play Catch or Chorus, Age willing." Bo was a surprisingly good at acting on her little play by play. The two boys waited for Age's answer.

"Alright, I could use a little rush right now." He said with a weak smile. Erik managed to hold in his jump for joy and simply said,

"Good, let's go." Erik said proudly and began to walk in the direction of the ocean. He made sure not to go to the same spot where Roxy had passed away. They came upon a spot not far away and readied to play. "Alright, everyone knows the rules, line up." They all lined up on the edge of the ice, and waited of the mark, "And, go!" they then hurled themselves into the frigid water.

Erik and Atticus went through with the plan to trick there friend, but Bo decided to be more, convincing. She constantly chased around fish she saw and made sure Age could see. She always made sure to get close enough to the fish to make it seem believable, while Erik and Atticus kind of just floated around occasionally swimming after something, fish or not. Age had managed to disregard their actions and focus on catching a fish, even though he thought by how Bo was doing, he definitely wouldn't win. Just as he was about to catch a fish, he noticed something out of the corner of his eye, a black blur of sorts. He decided to look and found it to be a silhouette of a big whale lurking in the murk. Just then, a second blur came into sight and he found the third to follow. It was a family, a father, a mother, and a child, all calm and together, like a real family should. Bo noticed there was no movement coming from her opponent and decided to check it out.

"Hey, Age is everything okay?" she asked calmly. His blank, hypnotic stare into the distance abyss made Bo wonder what he was looking at, so she also turned her head and found the family, just swimming by. They together watched them for a while until they were almost gone, vanishing into the distance. It was then that Age caught Bo off guard with a very, personal question.

"Bo, do you want kids?" Bo wasn't sure how to respond, but found it was the appropriate moment for a talk of her future.

"Yeah, I do actually."

"That's nice; I'd like a chick of my own one day too."

"Well, you might be getting it soon, if you would just…you know."

"I know, but I still can't seem to forgive myself for what happened. My singing tore down my whole nation. How many penguins can say that?" Bo stared at him in disbelief, singing was never completely out of a penguin's life, but she knew he wasn't lying; the urge to sing over the years would've been too great for him to resist if he was lying. She shook her head, "I'm sorry Bo, but I just can't sing." This gave Bo an idea.

"Then I guess I'll have to make you…" she said to him then darted off. He realized what was happening, she was trying to catch a fish before him, only now she was actually trying. He couldn't let that happen, so he also swam off in search of a fish. The only problem was, they spotted the same fish.

They both absolutely drilled through the water, panting, gasping, and striving to catch that fish. They chased it in loops, whirls, underwater ice passages and right back to the surface. In the end they found themselves neck in neck pushing them because the fish was heading for the shore. To Age, he'd never been in so much pressure, he had to catch that fish and be safe from singing. On the other hand, Bo needed to catch that fish to break Age of his silence and make him remember that singing is all about meaning and showing people who you are, not thinking that your voice is a weapon of destruction. The fish showed no signs of turning and the two forced themselves to jump out of the water and found that they both grabbed the fish at the same time. Bo felt a sharp pain hit her belly and yelped in pain causing her to let go. Age fell back to the ice and dropped the fish but then searched through the cloud of kicked up loose snow for it. After Bo got up, she turned to see what hit her. What she found was Erik lying on the ice rubbing his head with his flipper and Atticus on the side rushing out to help him.

"Oh my gosh Erik, Erik!" she said frantically trying to help him up.

"Calm down Bo, I'm fine. But I think you gave me a bump. Hey, am I bleeding?" Erik said. Atticus looked at the back of his head.

"No dude, you're good." Erik then turned to Bo.

"Hey Bo, are you alright?" She looked at the impact point and said,

"Looks like you gave me a bruise, but I'll be fine."

"Good, hey where's Age?" he asked.

"I'm sorry Erik, but, it seems he's won." Bo replied.

"What?" Atticus said almost like he was actually shocked about something.

"Yeah, look…" she pointed over to the cloud of kicked up snow, and Age slowly appeared from it. He had found the fish just seconds before and held it firmly in his mouth. Age then gave them a look like 'Ha! Take that you guys!'.

"Aww no, now he won't have to sing!" Atticus sighed and let his flippers droop. Bo shot him a quick look with wide eyes, he had accidentally exposed their purpose behind playing. Age's beak fell open and let the fish drop and rushed over to Bo.

"Bo…? You…and them? I…I…I can't believe you! How could you trick me like that?" Bo felt horrible for tricking her friend, especially after the talk they had when they saw the whales. Erik was quick to step in and help his friend out.

"Age no, it wasn't Bo's fault. It was mine; I tried to trick you into playing this game so you'd sing." Age turned to Erik in disbelief, had his brother just confessed to betraying him?

"You? It was, you?" Erik nodded. "I'd expect this kind of thing from Atticus, but you?" Atticus shrugged his shoulders like he wanted to say 'Did I do anything?' but didn't.

"Age, I just wanted you to sing, I miss your voice, even if I never heard it." Erik let his head fall in shame of what he did.

"Well guess what? You're never going to hear it now, I just wanted a reason to sing, a reason that would come to me when the time was right, but for you to try and force this on me…I…I…" Erik waited; while Bo was beginning to tear up, "I can't be around anyone right now, thanks for ruining my day!" he yelled this then waddled away as fast as he could. Erik was feeling horrible, as was Atticus and Bo. Erik started after his brother when Atticus stopped him.

"Dude, no…" Erik stopped and just watched Age disappear up a high glacier and into the mountains, "He just needs some time, let him be. You know he won't talk to you anyway." The two boys then began to go home while Bo stayed behind. Long after they were gone, Bo still stood there, weeping at the pain she caused her friend, and after such a personal moment. She threw her head up in the air and sang to the wind, hoping Age could hear her. This was pretty much her first public song.

_What have we done?_

_We should have known better_

_Then make them turn around and run_

_He's no scarlet letter_

_We're sorry for what we,_

_Did_

_Please find a way, to forgive us_

_Give us a day to, and because_

_You mean the world to us_

_There's no stay, if there's heart delay_

_Please forgive us, for what we,_

_Did_

_Please forgive us, for what we,_

_Did…_

Her voice went unheard by Age, but Erik and Atticus were close enough to hear. Erik stared back in the direction from which they came, and couldn't speak.

(Back in Age's secret hideaway)

Age slowly walked back into his escape, still in disbelief of what he had just seen. His own brother, and friends, turning their backs on him like that; there was no one in the world that could make Age smile right now. He was so busy talking to himself he didn't even notice there was another set of footprints in the snow. He continued to his usual spot where he'd look out over the ocean, when he heard a small patter of feet. He turned around to see no one.

"Hello? Is someone else here?" he said to the walls and air, no response. "Eh, maybe I'm finally losing it." He said to himself. Just then, a voice broke out.

"No…you're not."

(Back at home with Erik, Mumble and Gloria)

"I still can't believe what I did! He's my brother! I don't know what came over me!"

"Erik, Erik sweetie, calm down, it's okay. You were just trying to help him, we're not mad at you." Gloria tried to comfort her son.

"I know, but still…Pa?" Mumble looked at his son and awaited his question, "Did you ever do something horrible to someone you knew, and deathly regretted it later?"

Mumble thought hard and remembered the worst one he'd ever done. "Well, your mama would know this one. Gloria, remember when you came after me after I got exiled?" She nodded, "And remember how I pushed you away like a, what you called, a stubborn fool?"

"Yeah, why did you do that? Couldn't you tell I wanted to be with you then?"

"Gloria…that's exactly why I did it." She stared at him in confusion. "Gloria, I cared about you too much to let you get hurt and have it be my fault. And I knew if you came you'd get hurt. So I tried to show you how much I loved you by forcing you to go home, that way you wouldn't get hurt." Gloria found the words to say, they came straight from her heart.

"Mumble…why didn't you just tell me that? I would have believed you, especially if you told me that you loved me. I loved you then too, and I still do, and I always will. You really made me mad that day; I thought you didn't care about me, that's why you insulted my singing."

"Gloria, your singing can break anyone's heart and bring them back to life, over and over again, I was trying to keep you safe. What I said that day, it killed me, in so many ways, I felt like I was about to die from speaking to you that way. But I had to do it, for you. If I didn't, we might not be where we are now. Married, safe, chicks, and in each other's flippers." Mumble's speech made Gloria feel like she died and was brought back to life. He may not be able to sing; but he had a way with words.

"Oh Mumble…" Gloria kissed him, very deeply.

Erik had watched the whole thing and knew what he had to do. He had to find Age …and Bo.

(With Age and the Stranger)

"Hi, I come here when I need to think too." The penguin said. To Age, she was absolutely stunning, he'd never seen anyone like her since he last saw Hayley. "Oh, I'm sorry where are my manners, nice to meet you. What's your name?" Age felt like he couldn't speak straight.

"I'm…I'm…" she waited for his answer. Age hasn't felt this way since he first met Hayley, so just like before, the only word he could say was "Cold…". The Penguin laughed.

"Ha ha ha, your name is Cold?" she clearly was just being playful.

"No, I'm…sorry. It's just…" she noticed a look of sadness and seriousness in his eyes. "You remind me of someone I lost, a long time ago." She looked at him with kind eyes and an equally sad face.

"I'm so sorry; I lost a friend when I was young too."

"Please don't be a trickster miss. I'm really hurting emotionally right now." There was no anger in this girl's eyes.

"Well call me tricky, because I am too." He looked in her eyes, and she gazed back, their visions seemed to become one, and Age felt this overwhelming flood of emotion he hadn't felt since Mumble and Gloria adopted him. He dare not mention it though. He should have though, because she suddenly felt the same way, feeling a part of her so long forgotten be reawaken by what seemed to be a look of real love.

"I'm sorry miss, forgive me for staring but, you're so…beautiful." She blushed very pink.

"Thanks…" she looked deeper into Age's eyes. "And you, you are so…" he couldn't wait for her description, "So, so…somewhere." Age knew what she meant. "I feel like you're using your eyes to stare not into my eyes, but my, soul, and my heart."

"Miss, you make me wanna sing, loud and proud." Age said, at long last.

"You too…Cold…" he giggled.

"What's your name?"

"I said call me a trickster, so please, call me Trixie."

"Trixie…it's very, nice to meet you." He closed her eyes and she felt like she had strayed into a dream.

"So Cold…do you want to sing together?" she asked him. Age couldn't believe what he was about to say.

"Why there's nothing I'd rather be doing right now, with anyone."

They then lowered their beaks to make a crest around the others and nearly kissed. But Trixie began to sing, and Age never heard anything like it, almost as if he'd heard it before, from somewhere, a dream?

_Please, I know you_

_I don't where_

_Or how, but I do know_

_What we need to do_

_Because_

_I'm on the ground_

_Nowhere to go_

_But still I'll soar_

_Higher and higher_

_Till I touch the sky_

_Oh, oh_

_Higher and higher_

Age still couldn't recall where he heard this before, he knew that it couldn't be the first time no song had ever touched him so much. And then for only the second time in his life, Age sang.

_Please let me know_

_Please let me go_

_I need to see just how much you've grown_

_How does it feel to know?_

_How is it to see?_

_Tell me everything that you've ever known_

And then they sang together, for the very first time in both of their lives.

_I know what it takes to fly_

_I know what it takes to forgive_

_Hold on to my heart, and we, will_

_For the time of peace, a winter's chill_

_And we must see, to have, to share_

_For someone, somewhere, someday…_

_Somehow_

_For Someone_

_Someday_

_(Come with me, I'll show you the way)_

_This is my prayer_

_For_

_You_

The song ended with a long and passionate kiss that seemed endless to the both of them. Never had either of the ever felt this way around another penguin. Age and Trixie, two penguins who barely knew each other, were now suddenly bound by the bonds of love. But what they didn't know is, they already were.

"Oh, Cold…that was indescribable with words."

"Please, call me Age."

"Age…" he smiled at her.

"Well then Age, I love you. And yet I feel like I have my whole life, as if we had already met." Trixie was dumbfounded by this boy.

"We've never met, trust me. I'd remember someone like you. Those eyes, your kindness…" she started blushing again. "Your voice, my ancestry, that voice could soothe even the darkest souls back to the light."

"Oh Age, never leave me." She had just met the boy, and she felt she had found true love already.

"I wish I couldn't, but I have a home, and a life. But I'm telling you, be here every day when the sun touches the mountain top, I'll be here."

"I believe you Age, I love you so much."

"I love you too, Trixie." For some reason, Age didn't feel like he was cheating on Hayley with Trixie.

After a long and seemingly endless snuggle between the two, Trixie spoke once more.

"You remind me of the friend I lost, when I was young. His name was Cold."

_Cold? Where have I heard that before?_ Age didn't even remember his former name; he'd been going by the name of Age for so long.

"He tried to help me…" she started to cry, "And because I didn't let him, our whole nation got wiped out by an avalanche, caused by me. The last thing I heard him say was my name."

Age couldn't shake the feeling he's heard all this somewhere before, him being with Trixie made him completely forget about the outside world, it was as if all his past memories had been erased by this girl he met, and everything was okay…and perfect.

"Wow, Trixie, so the last this he said was 'Trixie!'?" Age asked. Trixie was still crying when she shook her head and Age raised his brow in confusion.

"Age, my name wasn't always Trixie. That's the name my Uncle gave me after the disaster, because he thought I'd have to be a real trickster to survive that. No Age, no. The last thing I heard Cold shout was my real name…Hayley."

Age stared, not knowing what to think or say. Could this penguin really be Hayley? His long lost love from chick hood? The one who also witnessed an entire penguin nation fall to the ground? She survived? These questions and more went through his mind until he found his heart almost erupting from his chest, and the next words to come from his beak seemed like they were spoken by the Great Guin himself.

"Hayley? Is…is that you?" She looked up and stared into his eyes, she noticed something she hadn't before. A look of depression, a look of loss, a look of hope. The she remembered everything, and she didn't know what came out of her mouth after that.

"Cold…? Is it really you?"

"Yeah…yeah…it's me Hayley, I'm here…I'm here."

She threw her flippers around Age and cried with happiness, shock, and other emotions she couldn't describe right now. Age held Hayley as tight as he could, he never wanted to let her go, not ever.

"Oh Cold! It's you! It's really you! I can't believe it! The fight, the screaming the avalanche, the sound of crushed penguins and the regret I felt…and still it's you!" she was sobbing very violently and couldn't stop, but Age didn't care he had her back, and that's all that mattered to him at the moment.

"Shhh…it's okay Hayley, I'm alright, I'm safe." Age was trying so desperately to be comforting.

"Oh Cold I'm so sorry for what happened, it was all my fault, I over reacted and the whole nation paid for it! I've never been able to forgive myself, but you're here, and you're alive!" she was still crying and holding Age tightly. Age continued his warm and comforting embrace as he kept trying to calm Hayley down.

"Hayley…look at me…" she looked up at him, and the look in his eyes made her instantly stop crying, "We're okay, that's all that matter, we'll never move on with our lives unless we forgive ourselves for what happened. You're alive, to me that means our nation has a future, a chance at redemption. You are, to me, a symbol of hope. A symbol of starting over, and a symbol of love." She kissed him for the longest time, and then she spoke with a smile.

"Cold, with you here, I have the strength and the willpower to forgive myself, because now I know that not everything that came out of that tragedy was bad."

"And you've given me the courage to face the world, the courage to sing. Did you know I haven't sung since that day?"

"Cold…"

"It's okay though, we're together now, and we will be forever. I told your pa I'd take care of you, and I swore this on his last breath. He told me we're bonded to each other, and from the moment we met, I should've known he was right."

Just then a voice broke out from the side of the entrance where from which Hayley came from. "Trixie! Trixie! Trixie honey where are you?" it was a male voice.

"Hayley, who's that?" Age asked Hayley with a somewhat suddenly stressed voice.

"Shh Cold, keep it down, look, I love you…" she then pulled away after a quick kiss, "be here tomorrow, and I'll prove it." She then walked out of the hideaway.

On his way home, Age couldn't decide if he was dreaming. Did that really just happen to him? He decided that it was a dream come to life, and he hasn't lost his mind. But the male voice calling for Hayley still intrigued him. Who was he? What did he want with her? More and more questions rattled his mind, but his mind was settled when he remembered something. He turned around towards the mountain, lifted his head up high and sang one last note to her.

_This is my prayer_

_For_

_You_

He then waddled the rest of the way home. No one knew he sang. On the other side of the mountain the voice was carried by the wind and hit Hayley's ears. She froze in place at the sound, and turned around.

"Oh Cold…"

**That was the longest chapter of anything I've ever written, hope you enjoyed it! I'm really liking how this story is turning out. I've decided to put in one final chapter and use some songs that aren't mine. Yes, all songs used in this chapter also ended up being by me. No worries, the last chapter will be out after the holidays. Have a Merry Christmas and Happy Reading! **


	3. Proving It

**Okay, here's #3! Since I really couldn't think of how Age's telling his family that Hayley's alive would go, I kind of just improvised the whole thing. Hopefully I'll have songs this time that aren't mine. Not that I'm tired of such thing of course =). Anyway, I have this whole story planned out in my head so I can assure there'll be one more chapter, and that's it. No worries though, this won't be my only HF FanFic, there'll be more. But for now enjoy chapter 3/4. By the way, after a review from a friend of mine…I'll give you a warning, things are going to get intimate with Age and Hayley, Bo and Erik, but nothing will happen in writing! Thanks Danielle for the heads up!**

What are Friends For?

Chapter 3

Proving It

Age was so busy thinking about Hayley that he didn't consider how his family would react if he told them. He quickly went through a number of ideas through his head and decided to slowly ease it into the conversation. Because I mean come on, your supposedly long time dead love turns out to be alive, and she wants to prove she loves you? How do you tell someone that? Age made his way home and on the way he passed his brother Erik, he'd been so happy about Hayley he had completely forgotten about the events earlier in the day. Age extended a casual greeting, but Erik just seemed ready to fall apart.

"Hey Erik, where you off to?" he asked, but Erik kept spinning in circles, looking in all directions for Bo.

"Um…dude? Hello, I'm talking to you…" still no answer, just more frantic spinning, "HEY!" he yelled. This knocked Erik down to his feet. "What's wrong with you?"

"Oh, uh, hi Age, look I really gotta find someone right now, so whatever this is, could we please talk about it later?" he really seemed to be in a rush, and so because Age was in such a good mood,

"Fine, but I'm not telling mama or pa without you."

"Deal, now, would you happen to know where Bo went?" He asked his little brother.

_Bo? Why would he need to find her? Unless…_ he thought he had a reason, and proceeded to improvise, "Uh, she went to the ocean to go for a swim, uh, yeah, she said she needed to get away from it all." He said this kind of sloppy, but good thing he wasn't in training to be an actor.

"Thanks Age, I'll see you later!" he said, he then got down on his belly and slid his way over to Bo's favorite spot where they all swam together. But when he arrived, she wasn't there…

Meanwhile, Age was still making his way home and had to pass through the main gathering area where all the social events and parties took place, his head was down, so he didn't notice he was about to run into another penguin. Their heads hit and each fell back.

"Ow! Hey, watch it!" Age said, but he looked to see, it was Bo. "Oh, hey Bo. You alright?"

"Oy, now I know how Erik felt this morning. But yeah, I'm fine, hey have you seen him by the way?"

_Okay, now this is just getting freaky! Why would they both need to find one another at almost the same time? Something is definitely up. _Age had a hunch, but just brushed it off because it seemed to out there, so he figured he try to pry the reason out of her.

"Um, nope haven't seen him, but could I talk to you for a minute?" he asked her.

"Uh, sure, I guess, I mean a minute can't hurt right?" she said, having no idea of what she was about to get into.

She then was walked into a small ice curve that hung over head and spun back to the ground. It served as a pavilion, where penguins would go to talk and hang out, or get out of the rain or snow. Age lead her into the ice and made her stand up against the wall.

"So, you and Erik are getting sort of…close, right?"

"Yeah, he's hanging out with all of us a lot more often than usual you know."

"Uh huh, yeah, and might I ask why this doesn't bother you?" Bo had a feeling of where this was going and started to panic.

"Uh…well, he's my friend and friends hang around with one another right?"

"True, but if friends hang out with one another how come I see Atticus with the two of you about half the time?"

"Well, that's…uh…well, I uh…"

"Mmm, that's what I thought, so now what exactly is the reason behind all this? You seem to have the urge to spend more and more time with him, and I want to know why." He was very determined to prove his theory correct.

"I…can't tell you Age. You're my friend, and I really don't wanna keep secrets from you, but this is sort of private." She wasn't very good at hiding her emotions.

"Well why does it have to be private, friends don't keep secrets from one another, it makes me feel like you got something to hide."

"I don't have anything to hide! I just don't you finding out about it!" she said and tried to walk away, but Age stopped her.

"Well what don't you want me finding out about?" he said hoping she'd crack.

"That…that…that…" she gave one last sigh and couldn't take it anymore, "That I'm in love with Erik okay! There I said it, and I think he loves me too!" she yelled at him so just he could hear, and then she stormed out of the ice and quickly waddled away. Age couldn't believe it, his superstitions were correct; Bo had a crush on Erik.

Age was just beginning to walk out of the ice when he noticed some moss. He guessed that the global warming that he'd heard about from Sven a few years ago was no myth. He then walked down to the edge of the cliff, ready to jump in to cool off, when he noticed something else. It looked like a floating can of something, and a little orange box was stuck to it. He didn't know what it was, but he felt an urge to get it. But he couldn't do it by himself, he needed help. Just then, as if on cue, Atticus showed up.

"Yo Age! Would yoself happen to have that info I be looking for?" he obviously had something that needed doing.

"Depends, what exactly is it you need info on?" Age wanted to make the fact that he also had something to do, so he asked with an equally stern voice.

"Bo's bein' really upset, I saw her running off, sobbing her eyes out. She didn't speak to me, but I know she's been looking for Erik. I'm thinking he doesn't like her back." Age was caught off guard by this, he thought she told no one.

"Wait, you know about that?"

"Please, you'd have to not have eyes to not see the connection those two have. I'm really kicking up for 'em, howeva, that doesn't mean you didn't have somem' to do with this." Age glared at Atticus, and then back down to the debris, he had an idea.

"I'll make you a deal, if you help me with those alien things down there, I'll tell you everything I know. If not, then I'm not talking." Age was persistent, Atticus however was shocked at Age's behavior, he'd always been the goodie two shoes penguin, why was he suddenly acting all badass?

"Fine, just make sure you don't waste my time." Atticus didn't like Age's attitude, so he wanted to get this done as fast as possible.

Age just grinned, with a devilish smile, and flung himself backwards to the water below. Atticus was still confused, but he also jumped down and help Age pull the junk onto the ice. Together, they pushed and shoved, and hauled the alien items all the way up the ice. It wasn't easy, but the two accomplished it through sheer teamwork.

"Aww geez, that wasn't easy." Age said collapsing on the nearby moss.

"No kidding!" Atticus said, letting his chubby body fall onto the moss as well. Then, Age got up and quickly examined the strange objects he and Atticus had fished up. Age looked over the can, he saw it had a hole in it. Atticus saw the bow and noticed it had a small amount of clear liquid inside. Likewise, the big can had a thick black liquid inside.

"Uh, dude…" Age looked at Atticus with the same confusion he felt, "What would this stuff be?"

"How should I know?" Just then he accidentally spilled out some of the liquid onto the moss where they were standing.

"Aww great! Now what?" Atticus asked. Then an unfamiliar voice hit Atticus' ears, but Age knew it all too well. It was Duke, the penguin who had always teased Age about not singing.

"You can just sit around and tell us all why you can't sing! Haha!" Duke was an absolute jerk, he never ceased to be annoying in any way, shape or form. Even though Age had just disrespected him, Atticus was quick to help out, a lesson he learn from watching Erik cover for Bo, earlier in the day.

"Hey whoa, lay off Duke, if ya looking for a battle, then why don't cha roll my way?"

"Oh, how sweet the big tuby wuby penguin wants to cover for his friend, fine, meet me in the center in two minutes…" he rolled his head and cracked his flipper "I need some warn up time anyway." Duke and his buddy walked away, while Atticus turned around to Age.

"Age I have no idea how we're, I mean, I'm going to win this." Atticus said still assuming that Age wouldn't sing. But his encounter with Hayley had given him the strength he needed to finally step into the light, so he was prepared to step into the light with his friend, and give him a heart attack.

"No Atticus, you're right, I'm not letting you go out there on your own. I'm with you," looks and the liquids they fished up. "And I even think I know how to win this battle." Atticus' beak dropped down to the ice.

"You…you're gonna…I mean…I, ah…" Atticus fainted. Age just looked at him with a smirk and a slight nod, and then very New Yorker style yelled,

"ATTICUS!" he shot right back up.

"I'm okay, I'm okay, I'm okay." He said with his flippers out talking to some penguins who were watching. Then he turn to Age with a dumbfounded face, "But dude, you're really gonna sing? What happened? Last time we saw you said we'd never hear your voice."

"Something…happened. But that's not important, come on Atticus, let's show Duke who's the Sing King of this nation. Oh and bring the liquids." And then he snatched up the can with the black stuff and allowed Atticus to carry the small box with the clear stuff.

They made their way to the center of the gathering site where Age had passed through before to interrogate Bo, but now he was here for something bigger. He was going to sing in front of everyone, so when he arrived, he leaned over to a penguin and said, "Go get Mumble, he needs to be here for this." The penguin then ran off and Atticus poured the black stuff all over the moss surrounding the area and he waited for Age's signal to use the clear stuff. In the meantime, they watched Duke and his posse of performers practice. To Age, they were actually pretty good, but Atticus was quick to jump in.

"Don't worry dude, with you singin' we gonna win by default." Age just nodded as Mumble showed up and watched the event take place. He was told to come because his son wanted him, but now he couldn't even see him. He also leaned over to another penguin and asked a friendly question.

"Excuse me, but what's going on here?" he asked a young male penguin from the graduation class.

"Well Mr. Mumble, I believe Duke has challenged Atticus to a song battle, and Age is gonna help him." Mumble had no words for what he just heard.

"What?"

"It's true! Look they're over there getting ready now." As he pointed over to the mounds covered in a black substance. Then he saw Age turn around and look at him.

"Stand by Pa, I'll need your help in a sec." Mumble just nodded and waited for his son's cue.

Duke had stopped practicing and had walked up to Atticus to do normal pre-battle trash talk. "So, intimidated at all? I knew you'd be, it's impossible to resist the fire of Duke." Atticus just smiled, and said,

"Actually Duke, I won't be the one kicking your butt in this battle." Thinking he backed out of the fight he mocked him.

"Oh so the big bad rapper penguin decided to let someone else get the butt kicking. So, who's sorry butt am I burning up?" he asked so confident in the idea he'd win.

"He, will be kicking your butt." Atticus said pointing to Age who was waiting behind Atticus. Duke didn't bother to flinch because he figured he was joking.

"This, is going to be so much fun." As he turned around and got in position.

"You ready for this Age?" Atticus asked.

"No worries, besides you're gonna help, just start free styling when I give you the signal."

"Alright, if you say so."

"Oh and, don't forget to light the black stuff with the clear stuff." Atticus nodded.

"When?"

"You'll know…" Age said and then walked out onto the field ready for whatever Duke had planned for him. **(Okay, so I realize there's a lot of party songs involving fire, so I just simply picked the first to I found, I didn't write either of these.)**

Duke got his dance crew ready, and they seemed like they had in all in the bag.

_Go Go Go_

_Go Go Go_

_Go Go Go _

_(let's go)_

_Go Go Go _

_Go Go Go_

_Go Go Go_

_Nobody's gonna wanna get next to me_

_Cause they know (they know)_

_I take what's mine I won't let it go_

_Doesn't' matter how you approach the scene_

_Just know (just know)_

_You're everything and more when you hit the door_

_I dare you to challenge me_

_You'll be begging for mercy please_

_Just watch! I'll give you something to follow_

_Cause I've been waiting so patiently (to the let the)_

_Fire come outta me_

_And watcha up again, just letting you know_

_(I keep givin you the)_

_Fire_

_I'm a heat it up_

_Under my control_

_Here's the night that you've been waiting on _

_Fire_

_Ima light it up_

_Gotta make it hot_

_The stage is mine_

_Let's set it off_

_Fire!_

Duke was all done and the people went mad. He may be a jerk, but was one heck of a performer. Age wasn't worried though; he knew that despite what he was up against, this would be no problem. **(Will someone please tell me if I got the lyrics wrong; Fire- Matthew "M Dot" Finley) **Age walked up to his opponent and clearly stated he wasn't scared.

"So, you wanna play with fire? Then I'll give you the whole inferno!" He said flunking his flippers in his face.

"Fine, try to best my flames, but when you back out like you usually do; I'll be laughing until I have soaked myself." Age just shot him a scowl. Age had his whole plan in the bag, he knew exactly how this was gonna go, but since he used his spare time setting up for the pyrotechnics, he had no time to tell anyone the plan, so instead he just trusted everyone to know, when.

"Pa! Come on out here!" he yelled to Mumble, and then Mumble went out to his son.

"You're really gonna do this Age?" He asked, still not believing what he was seeing.

"Yes Pa, no worries, I made a promise to someone and I intend to keep it." He then saw Mumble smile, and then Age looked at Duke and his gang. "Yo, could I get like three some penguins beside me please?" he said to the crowd. And 6 penguins made their way to his side in a V shape. And he leaned over to his Pa and whispered, "Now…give me a beat." Mumble started dancing the beat he wanted, and from there, Age was at home. **(Fireball- Willow Smith ft. Nicki Minaj)**

Atticus was given the signal and he said,

_Uh Oh…_

And from there, Age took control,

_Um, hello, can we get the party started, yeah!_

_Um, hello, can we get the party started..._

_Young Money..._

Atticus felt it was the right time, so he quickly dumped the clear stuff on the black stuff, and all the piles of moss burst into flames, real flames.

_I'm the fireball, I'm the fireball, I'm the fire_

_I'm the fireball, I'm the fireball, I'm the fire_

_I'm the fireball, I'm the fireball, I'm the fire, Fire, fire, fire_

_Since I landed here, I gotta phone up Obama._

_Shook the world up, now I caused a little drama_

_Leader of the new school, and yes I'm gonna_

_Light up the block to the stage when I wanna_

_Brighter than the stars now I head on the curb_

_Don't got' walk it out jigga walk with the splur_

_Levitating in my moment suit me with the fur_

_I'ma rock the world til they following her_

_I'm the fireball of the party, I'm the fire, I'm the fireball of the party,_

_I'm the fire, I'm the fireball of the party, I'm the fire, I'm the fire,_

_I'm the fire, I'm the fire, I'm the fire_

_I'm the fireball of the party, I'm the fire, I'm the fireball of the party,_

_I'm the fire, I'm the fireball of the party, I'm the fire, fire, fire, fire, fire_

_See I ain't never been the one to toot my own horn,_

_beep, beep Now watch me put it on_

_I set fire everywhere I play, make them all go insane,_

_L.A to UK_

_Now Imma burn it up, when I step on the scene_

_My whole crew is Fresh and they rollin' with me_

_You can turn me up yeah to the extreme _

_Imma rock the world til they following me_

_I'm the fireball of the party, I'm the fire, I'm the fireball of the party, _

_I'm the fire, I'm the fireball of the party, I'm the fire,_

_fire, fire, fire, fire_

_I'm the fireball of the party, I'm the fire, I'm the fireball of the party, _

_I'm the fire, I'm the fireball of the party, I'm the fire, _

_I'm the fire, I'm the fire, I'm the fire, I'm the fire_

Mumble was still dancing, smiling the whole time at his son's performance, and then Age shot Atticus a quick look and gestured for his to start rapping. Atticus jumped in and felt right at home, Seymour was watching too.

"Emperor Land, Atticus!" Age shouted to the crowd as his friends came out. The fire was still burning strong, and Age disappeared in them, but no one noticed.

_Hey yo A-Age, didn't I just see you in China?_

_You're real major even though you're a minor_

_Your daddy keep ya in designer_

_You're gully, gully, gully, yeah you're gully, kinda_

_Okay, I'm the street fighter, call me Chun-Li_

_And it's going down like a bum knee_

_Built the guest house to put the coupe in_

_Cause I'm a fireball, hadouken!_

_Put you under my wing, I'm the top boss_

_Ain't from Louisiana, but I'm hot sauce_

_Cut the mountain just to go and build a house off_

_So I ain't never gonna worry what the house cost_

_If they coming at you, tell them raise up_

_When it's time to whip your hair, put your braids up_

_Tell them escalator, elevator, you're the mean to step your weight up, _

_Ain't nobody greater, will and jada is my neighbor hater_

Atticus pointed to the fire and Age was in the middle of it, but he wasn't burning at all, Atticus winked saying he was done and Age jumped right back in out of the flames.

_I'm the fireball of the party, I'm the fire, I'm the fireball of the party,_

_I'm the fire, I'm the fireball of the party, I'm the fire, _

_fire, fire, fire, fire_

_I'm the fireball of the party, I'm the fire, I'm the fireball of the party,_

_I'm the fire, I'm the fireball of the party, I'm the fire, _

_fire, fire, fire, fire_

_Watch the fire burn...burn, burn_

_Watch me heat it up_

_Watch the fire burn...burn, burn_

_Watch me heat it up_

_Watch the fire burn...burn, burn_

_Watch me heat it up_

_I'm the fireball of the party, I'm the fire, I'm the fireball of the party,_

_I'm the fire, I'm the fireball of the party, I'm the fire, _

_fire, fire, fire, fire_

_I'm the fireball of the party, I'm the fire I'm the fireball of the party,_

_I'm the fire, I'm the fireball of the party, I'm the fire, _

_fire, fire, fire, fire_

_Yeah!_

A sharp wind blew out the fires on the last note, a stunning performance, unmatched by any in a long time. And the stars of it…what's to be said about them?

There were no words to describe several things in the moments after the song and dance was done, the wildness of the crowd, the proudness that Mumble and Seymour felt in their sons, and of course, the look on Duke's face, him and everyone else. The celebration for the victory the two scored over Duke went on late into the night and Mumble was sure to give his comments last. Overall, Age had given the performance of the year, if not the generation. It was in everyone's best opinion afterwards that he be deemed top of the class, but Age insisted on waiting for Erik and Bo to come back. What no one knew was, Bo had never left. A she was in a pavilion crying after Age spoke to her, and she had been there to watch the whole show. She like everyone else was speechless, but still to her, no one was better than Erik. When Age had a brief moment of peace and no congratulations, she stole him away.

"Hey Age…" she said weakly to him. He turned away from a penguin he was just talking to and noticed her.

"Oh, Bo! I thought you were off with Erik?" he asked her. But Bo had no such luck.

"Age, I never left, I was crying too much after I told you my secret. Oh, by the way, just amazing show you put on with Atticus! I can't believe that was you." Bo was just as impressed as everyone else.

"Thanks, I've been getting that a lot. But hey, there's no reason to be ashamed of have a crush on my bro. Why would he not be thrilled to have you as a mate?" Age was not exactly a great one to one talker, but he knew how to talk to someone who was feeling alone.

"I don't know Age, it's just…it's just hard. He's the son of Mumble and Gloria, the two most unique penguins of their generation. I'm just another penguin who had great parents, but not good enough to stand out. And you…you were born from the death of your nation, that must've put hundreds of songs in your heart, and now that you've found a reason to sing you'll be unstoppable." She thought about her last sentence for a second, "Hey, you found a reason sing?"

"Yes, I did, and it was the best feeling I ever had." He said remembering when he sang with Hayley in the ice.

"What was it?" Bo asked. Age looked around and decided it was time to make another deal.

"I'll tell you if you tell Erik how you feel." Age made a good point; she was going to have to tell him at one point or another.

Bo thought very hard if it was worth it. Telling the penguin she loved how she felt just to get a piece of information? She stopped to think about the possibilities of Erik saying yes. Jake or Tori might become a reality and he really would say how much he meant to her. On the other flipper, if he didn't, she make a fool out of herself, and she'd probably ruin their friendship forever. And Erik might even go so far as to avoid her out of awkwardness. She made up her mind and was ready for whatever may come.

"I'm not going to tell him for you Age, I'm telling him for me." She said turning away. Age called after her.

"Bo, he's gone to where you guys hatched, over by the ice chasm, I suggest you start there." He yelled to her, she turned and smiled. **(This is where it'll happen between Age and Hayley)**

By this point the day of singing to one another was two days away, and both Age and Erik had already set their hearts on other penguins, Age was in love with Hayley, and Erik was in love with Bo. The only difference between the two couples was that Age and Hayley were about to prove they loved one another, Erik and Bo weren't even sure of how the other felt. Age had gone to the secret hiding place where he and his love went to think at exactly where they wanted at the exact time she told him. She waited patiently for him and a set of assurances went through her head.

_Alright Hayley, you can do this…how hard could it be? You love him, and he loves you. He'll do it, I mean it couldn't be that weird right? Oh, who am I kidding, of course he'll do it! He wants to be with me, we're meant to be. The way he sang, the gentle voice of his, the way he's always picking me up even if it seems lost, oh gosh, he's going to be a great father someday!_

Hayley was still waiting in the hideout as Age made his way up to it. He also had a set of thoughts but his were more towards excitement.

_She wants to prove she loves me how? Maybe she wrote a song for me. Oooo, maybe it's a dance! Or maybe it's even a huge thing of fish! Eh, who do I care, I love her, so whatever I have to do to prove it, I will. _

When he reached the entrance he took a long, deep breath and walked inside. He saw her standing in their spot where they'd watch the ocean, but instead, seeing as how it was late at night, she was staring at the moon. Her black feathers gleamed in the pale light, and to Age, he thought he was staring at the penguin goddess of beauty.

"It's nothing compared to how beautiful you are." He said to her, and she turned around. And smiled a huge smile, Age loved her smile; it was one of the best things he ever saw.

"Hello Cold…" she said to him.

"I told you Hayley, call me Age…Cold died the day our nation did, I can't be reminded of that past." She was instantly sorry for what she said, she'd forgotten how much more he'd been hurt by the event than she was.

"Oh I'm sorry Age, it's just…that's what I'm used to calling you, it's gonna take some time to get used to your new name. Did your new family give you that name?" She asked him with a loving grin.

"No…I did. The day it happened I gave myself this name, with all the lost souls of our nation to put their faith in, I took the name and carried it on with the survivors."

"Well in that case, I think our fellow penguins are going to be very happy for us this night." Age looked at her in confusion.

"Hayley, what do you mean?" he asked her.

"Age, I said be here, so I could prove I love you, and I will, the best way I possibly could." She then leaned over his ear and whispered something into it. Age just closed his eyes, and nodded.

(Back at what used to be Emperor Land, down in the hole)**(And now to Erik and Bo)**

Erik wandered around the giant hole in the ground that made what was his home into nothing but a seemless death trap for the unlucky penguins that happened to be in here when the glacier rolled in. He remembered how his Mama sang to him from down here after his Pa yelled at him in front of the whole nation, how he helped free them all by dancing, and the lessons he taught countless of Antarctic creatures by staying strong in the toughest of times. He wished a certain penguin was here with him, and she was already on her way. Bo was tired from walking all this way, back to the previous Emperor Land, but she knew it would be worth it. She was careful not to fall over the edge, and looked out over the vast ice and found a single black spot in the surrounding white.

"Erik!" she yelled to him. He turned around at the sound and looked in shock and surprise.

"Bo? Is that you?" he yelled to her.

"Of course it's me! I came to find you!" she shouted to him.

"You came to find me? Why?" he yelled again to her.

"Long story Erik!" she shouted, again.

"Come down here I need to talk to you!"

"Alright, I'll be right there!" she said.

Erik decided that since they were all alone, and he loved her with all his heart it was time to tell her how she felt. Bo on the other hand was simply hoping that whatever happened here it would be for the best. She dodged many ice chunks and rock while sledding down to Erik. Once she stopped, she got up and walked over to him, but he signaled for her to go into the ice formation in the center of Emperor Land, where all the Elders used to stand upon. Once she got it, she found him staring down into a small pool of water near the back of the opening. She didn't what was wrong, but she didn't have a good feeling about it. As she walked up behind him, he suddenly broke the silence and said what he was thinking.

"Who am I Bo? What have I become?" Bo was confused, she thought he was going to tell her how he felt, but being the good friend she was, Bo cared and helped anyway.

"You are Erik, the friend to me and so many, and you haven't become anything, you're the same caring, and free spirited penguin I've known since we were chicks."

"But I want to be more than that Bo…I feel like something's missing from my life, that's why I came here. I was hoping I could find it, somewhere here in our old home." She was tempted, but didn't say it.

"There's only one way you could know what's missing Erik, you have to see it, and then you could believe it, or disregard it. All I can tell you for sure, is it's out there in the world, you just gotta be sure of it went you find it."

Erik turned around and looked at Bo for the first time since the incident with Age at Catch or Chorus. She never looked more beautiful to him, and he suddenly felt he had found it. He was ready to risk everything with his next words.

"Some might say its right here with me. But…I think they're right, I feel like it is here with me." Bo could speak, she wasn't sure if he had just said what she thought he said, so he waited for him to speak again. "Scratch that, I know it's here with me, just by looking in your eyes I know it's there." It was now Bo's turn to risk everything.

"Erik, I'm falling in love with you…"

"And I'm falling in love with you too Bo." Bo suddenly had so many questions, none of which could come out except for one.

"When…when did you start feeling this way?" she said pushing her beak up against his in a tight cuddle.

"Since you went to Adelie Land all by yourself, the courage you showed, the kindness you showed for your nation and everyone in it. It was enchanting." She blushed at his comment, and then he rotated the question. "When did you start loving me?"

"Well, at the time, I didn't know it was called love, but after I saw you and your Pa dance with the elephant seals, and how much spirit was in your heart during and after the event, you just seemed so much more…different."

"Sounds like we started liking each other at about the same time."

"Yeah, who knew? Look I know I love you Erik, but I just wish I had a way to prove it." Erik though for a second and then spoke again.

"Well…I can think of one way, but maybe we should wait a few days, you know after we sing to each other?" Erik said. Bo instantly knew what he was saying, but her passions took control.

"Oh Erik, I don't think I can wait. I love you too much, besides, we could always…do it again?" he smiled.

"Bo, if it means that much to you, I will mate with you, but know this is for you."

"We're old enough Erik, and with the pairings being a short time away, no one will suspect a thing." Bo was ready for this, mentally and spiritually. They both smiled at each other, being warmed up by the closeness to one another and only two things were left to be said.

"I love you Erik."

"And Bo, I love you too."

(Back at the hideout with Age and Hayley)

Age and Hayley had been sleeping for some time now. The glow of the moon shown on the two, they had proved they loved one another, and they were ready to move on into the future in each other flippers. Suddenly, Hayley stirred, she was then awoken by the sound of footsteps. Her head shot up and got up and slowly and carefully looked around the opening to see what was there. She saw two other Emperor penguins looking around as if they lost something. She gasped and slowly turned around and rushed to wake Age up.

"Age, Age!" she continued to shake him and whisper his name. "Age! Wake up, please, wake up!" After that his eyes slowly opened and her immediately showed concern for his love.

"Hayley, what's wrong?" She shushed him and told him to whisper.

"My Uncle and boyfriend are out there…" she said gesturing to the opening where she came in. Age didn't care, her boyfriend?

"Boyfriend? Are you cheating on me with him?" She started to cry quietly, but they were tears of joy. She then shook her head.

"No Age, I'd never, I'm cheating on him with you. See after the disaster, I held you in my heart, but I figured I should move on to other penguins, but none would ever be better than you." Age understood how she felt, so he didn't mind, she was with him now anyway. Just then, they heard one of the two say,

"Hey, I think I heard something over here." Hayley began to panic and tried to shoo Age away.

"Go, go, go, Age! I'll find you later." But Age refused to go.

"Hayley, what's going on here?" he questioned not in a demanding voice, but in a caring and calm voice. She was readying to answer when the world froze.

"Trixie? What's going on here? Who's this?" It was Hayley's boyfriend, Bandit, nickname of course.

"Bandit, how nice to see you…" her uncle walked in, "And you brought my Uncle Richie with you, that's nice." She was speaking in an extremely nervous tone.

"Trix…I'm playing games, who's this? And why is there a goofy smell in the air?" Bandit said sniffing the air. **(Why? Penguin research, look it up…) **

Her uncle was the next to step in. "Trix, you're coming home with us right now, geez you had me worried sick, disappearing in the middle of the night to see this boy, and I took you for the faithful type!" She was quick to protest.

"Uncle Richie I am the faithful type, faithful to my heart." Richie stopped pushing her along looked at her and brushed off the comment and kept moving. Hayley stole a quick look at Age and watched Bandit walk up to him.

"Look man, I don't know what you did to my girl, but if I ever catch you with her again…" Hayley couldn't take it, she broke free of her uncle's grip and shoved herself between her ex and her love.

"Stop it Bandit, leave him alone!" Richie was one to question her behavior.

"Trixie what has gotten into you? Just last week you told Bandit you love him."

"I did…but then…" Bandit interrupted.

"First of all who's this guy?" Hayley looked at Age and said what her heart told her.

"He's Cold, the chick from my chick hood, he's alive, and he still loves me!" she told Bandit.

"Seriously Trix? What could possibly make you chose this icicle over me?" he and her uncle crossed flippers and awaited her answer. She was readying to answer when Bandit interrupted again. "And don't bother saying you love him! Obviously those words mean nothing to you seeing as how you used them twice in the same week on different penguins!"

Hayley wasn't sure what to say. She considered telling them the truth, but she'd have to run for her life if she did that. She quickly thought up a number of lies, but none seemed good enough. She looked at Age and he gave her a slow and final nod. She knew it was time to say how she felt, she was ready to leave.

"Because…I'm carrying his egg…" both Bandit and Richie got wide eyed, but Bandit acted first.

"You…!" he said and lunged at them.

"Age run!" She commanded, and they both flung themselves out of the other side of the hideout and belly sledded down the mountain side.

They heard a terrible cracking noise, and Hayley looked back just in time to watch the whole hideaway give in. She started crying, because her Uncle Richie was still in there, and didn't stop until they reached the bottom near the edge of the ocean. She never saw Bandit again, and they never went back to that place. Age had felt horrible, he felt like the whole thing was his fault. He stared endlessly into the ocean as he had just before Roxy died, but this time, Hayley was there to comfort him.

"What did we do Hayley?" she knew what to say.

"We proved it; we proved we loved one another. Age I promise you, I have no regrets." This made him smile. He felt a song awake in him, a song for two, and a song they had already sung together. **(This is the full song from the previous chapter, I wrote it, it's called For You (What it takes). Tell me what you think.)**

_I know what it takes to fly_

_I know what it takes to forgive_

_Take my flipper and we'll be learning_

_For the time of the heart is yearning_

_And we all must give, to see, to do_

_For somehow, someway, someday…_

Her head rose from her sorrow, and she listened, body and soul.

_A child weeps, somewhere_

He sang as he put his flipper on her belly,

_A mother's lullaby could show how to care_

_A steady rain, and the vanish of, pain_

_No one, no way could be an image_

_Be the hero, they never had, and be true_

This time however, she started to sing with him. To give the chick inside her a true mother's lullaby.

_I know what it takes to fly_

_I know what it takes to forgive_

_Hold on to my heart, and we, will_

_For the time of peace, a winter's chill_

_And we must see, to have, to share_

_For someone, somewhere, someday_

They looked at each other, then back down to Hayley's belly as they sang this line of the song.

_I dream of your smile, and a laugh_

_Take my flipper, I'll show you something grand_

_A land of love, a land of life_

_And a land of laughter_

_Somehow_

_For someone_

_Someday_

_(Come with me, I'll show you the way)_

_This is my prayer_

_For _

_You…_

The last time they sang this was to each other, this time, it was to their baby. The proof of their undying love for one another. They fell asleep that night in each other's flippers, safe, warm, and soon to be parents. Far away in the ice formation, Erik and Bo lay sleeping as well, new life growing inside her too. But to anyone who found out about their actions that night, the real magic was between Age and Hayley, and their egg, just waiting to be laid.

**Okay, so you were warned. If you find it unsettling, just please read the next chapter, it'll all make sense. **


	4. You Know When

**Okay, I know the last chapter got a bit, woozy, but it had to be done. Anyway, this is the final chapter of this story. Once again I promise I'll do more HF FanFics. The great song pairing will finally happen, Atticus will meet a girl, people will find out about our pregnant couples, and Mumble and Gloria's parenting skills will be put to the test. I might do an in betweener story, you know, the years I skipped in Chapter 1. To cover up the lost adventures of the fun loving four some. However, in conclusion, please enjoy the final part of this romance, and R&R my "Children of Vashj'ir" story. No one has reviewed it yet!**

What are Friends For?

Final Chapter

You Know When

The sun had just started rising over the ocean, casting shadows of the ice on both of the sleeping pairs of mates. Age was first to awaken, but chose not to move since, now that Hayley was pregnant, she needed him more than ever. She had been dreaming of names all night, and what it would be like if it was a boy or a girl. All she knew to the full extent, she couldn't wait!

Erik was feeling mutually the same, although he wasn't sure of what had happened the night before, all he knew was that he had also proved he loved Bo, and she was now carrying his egg. Bo however, need not worry if it was a boy or a girl; she had already picked out their names either way. Jake if it was a boy, Tori if it was a girl, she had decided this a long time ago.

Age was so busy making sure Hayley was warm and comfortable, he didn't notice she woke up, with a huge smile on her face.

"Morning…daddy." She said to him pulling him close. This made Age smile, he then remembered the talk he had with Bo, just a few days earlier about how they both wanted chicks of their own. And now here in his arms, it was happening. The penguin that he was destined to be with, that loved him unto the ends of the ice and back, was carrying his egg. The thought, to Age, seemed to perfect to fathom, but in his heart he knew it was a reality, and a dream that was made real by the power of love.

"Morning…mama." This made Hayley smile too, only she closed her eyes and let her head gently fall to the ground to slowly take in the fact that she still had no regrets. She had mated with Age to give him proof of her love for him, and what better proof than a child?

In what used to be Emperor Land, Erik was busy keeping watch outside to make sure Bo was safe. He had been standing guard of his mate for some time, and when she finally awoke, he was the first one to be at her side.

"Bo, its morning." He said to her. She moaned from tiredness and yawned a big yawn. Erik just giggled, "You're so cute when you're tired." He said to her with a big smile, apparently, smiling was a thing new mates did to each other the morning after.

"And you're extremely cute when you tell someone else they're cute." If you watched these two this morning, you could see just how much the bond had sealed. "So, I guess we'd better make our way back to Emperor Land, because you know, the whole pairing thing is tomorrow." Bo was right, they had been so caught up in discovering and proving their love for one another, they had forgotten about where they needed to be.

"Ah, you're right. Okay then, looks like we're gonna spend all day getting home." Bo just nodded, and they began to walk home when she bent over gripping her belly, clearly the effects of pregnancy happened faster than they thought. "Bo!" he said to her as she was whimpering and tightly holding her belly. He thought he saw her begin to cry, when she spoke.

"I…may need some help." She said between whimpers.

"I'll give you all the help you need. Just promise me this won't cause you to have any regrets." He said with hopeful eyes. He loved Bo so much, and he told her he did what he did for her. He'd feel terrible if she suddenly had some regrets because of the pain she was in. But she just smiled at him despite her pain.

"Erik, I love you, I'll never have any regrets. I knew this would happen, I just didn't expect it so soon." She suddenly had worries, what if this exposed her to the world as a premature penguin? She would have to revoke her commitment to Erik, and have to settle for another! However, his next words calmed all her nerves.

"Don't worry Bo; I'll take care of you. I'll just say you ate lots of bad fish recently. And if all comes to worst I'll say that we've shown each other our passions a little earlier than everyone else, and since we only have to wait a day, they'll understand. Either way, you're gonna be perfectly safe with me." She loved Erik so much more after that, not even had they been mates for a day, and he already was prepared never to leave her side.

"Oh Erik, this chick is going to be lucky to have a Pa like you." She said to him, totally ignoring the pain she still felt.

Erik just smiled to her and had a feeling that this was the sign of great things. In his heart he knew that this chick was going to be his most precious gift, and greatest accomplishment. He also knew that so long as he had Bo by his side, this egg was not going to be a burden, but an adventure.

Far away from the two of them another couple was on their way back home. Age had helped Hayley get up and they'd been waddling back home to Emperor Land for an hour or so, and the whole time they had been trying to come up with names.

"Let's see…oh I got one, Sammy, and if it's a girl Samantha!" Age smiled at this, but at the same time it just did feel good enough.

"No offense honey, but…don't you think it should be a name our nation can call upon from the other side? A name of hope?" as he said this, a name came to his mind, a name that sung the voices of his nation. "I got it she'll be named…" Just then Hayley broke his sentenced and yelled for him to get down.

"Duck! Come on get down!" she said as they both threw themselves to the ice, just as a Skua flew where Age's head was. It was clearly circling down for another strike. "Age quick, into the water!" Hayley yelled as they ran towards the water as fast as they could, Age watched Hayley jump in and proceeded to do so himself. When Age was near the water he felt an immense pain hit his back, then there was a swarm of feathers and he blacked out, only a few inches from the water.

"Age?" Hayley said, as she swam around in the water near the ice, she knew she was safe from the Skuas, but there were many dangers lurking in the deep to fear. "AGE!" she yelled to the surface. But there was still no answer.

Back in Emperor Land, Atticus, Mumble and Gloria were all panicking. Their sons and friends have all but disappeared since the night before and were nowhere to be found by anyone. "Where did they go Atticus?" Mumble fiercely asked Atticus.

"I don't know Uncle Mumble, I don't know anythin' 'bout where they went. One minute I'm on the floor rapping my heart out, having the time of my life, then the next they're gone without a trace, how am I supposed to know where they all got to?"

Mumble was getting ready for another sharp worded question when Gloria stopped him, "Sweetie, stop it. He's told us everything he knows, Atticus isn't one to lie." Mumble knew Gloria was right, but he still couldn't help but get a weird feeling.

"I'm sorry Gloria, it's just…I can't shake this feeling I have."

"Mumble, we both felt it, how can I forget? There you were, lying asleep in my arms and all of a sudden, you shoot awake panting and sweating. You got up and said you felt something just happened somewhere, and then, after a brief moment of thinking, I felt the strange feeling too. But there's nothing to worry about Mumble. I'm sure whatever it is, our babies are gonna be home safe."

Just then Atticus remembered the talk he had had with Age the day before, about Bo crying over some reason that neither of them knew. "Wait…" they both shot Atticus a look in anticipation of whatever it is he was about to say. " I remember Bo crying her eyes out yesterday, she was running off into that direction…" he said as he pointed into that direction, "Age said he didn't know what was wrong and after our performance, I didn't see him. Maybe the two of them went off looking for her." Mumble figured as much, he should've known that deep bonds of caring for one another ran in the family. He had no worries what so ever, he knew what had to be done and he was prepared to do it.

"Gloria I'm going to find them, I have to, and it's my job as a father." Gloria was quick to protest.

"Mumble do you remember when Erik ran away after he slipped up dancing a few years ago? It's the same thing; they just need time, especially if they're trying to comfort a friend." Mumble stopped walking in the direction he was pointed, and thought of what she said. He then turned around and looked at her, "Gloria, I…"

"Don't have to do anything." It was Erik, he was back and Bo was over his shoulder.

"Erik! Oh sweetie, you had us so worried, your daddy was about to go and look for you." Gloria didn't even notice Bo until she got closer. Her eyes widened and she gasped, "Bo! What happened!" she slowly lifted her head up to answer. But instead she just threw up, so Erik answered for her.

"She ate a lot of bad fish, she's been really sick the whole way back." Gloria was the first to take Bo off of Erik's shoulder and said,

"Come on Bo, let's get you looked at." She said as she led Bo to someone who could help.

As she supported Bo as they walked off, Mumble and Atticus walked up to Erik and took turns asking him questions. First up was Mumble, "Erik, where did she go?" Erik had thought up a lie to every single question they might ask, one could say he was more than prepared.

"She went to her secret hideaway, she said she needed to be alone for a while. Apparently, she needed to get away from it all." Erik was very good at making this lie and all the ones to follow believable.

"Okay, why did you go after her?" Atticus said with a raised eyebrow.

"Because, she's my friend and I care about her." Erik was thinking how dumb of a question that was when Mumble's next question threw him off guard.

"Okay, so where's Age?" Erik hadn't thought of Age he was so busy thinking of questions for him and Bo that he never even thought of Age. He thought quick and answered.

"He's gone missing? When? How come I didn't hear about this? I would've gone out to look for him too."

Mumble stopped him; he noticed he was panicking, even though he was just acting. "Calm down Erik, we'll just look for him later, for now why don't you go help out Bo. She seems like she needs it with all that bad fish."

Erik just nodded and waddled off to help her out, but Mumble just stared at him as he walked off. Atticus noticed his looked and questioned it. "Uncle Mumble, what's wrong?" Mumble was Erik's father, he couldn't hide anything from him, though he wasn't sure what, something was definitely up.

"He's hiding something, I can feel it." He said as he continued to watch Erik leave.

Meanwhile in the care ice pavilion, Bo was resting up against the ice wall and was feeling very light headed. The nurse was bringing her some shrimp to try and settle the bad fish that wasn't there. She knew why she was like this, but she dare not say. Gloria was helping to attend to her, but the nurse was bewildered by her remedies not working.

"I just don't understand, the shrimp should've counter acted the bad fish. Why isn't it working?" the nurse seemed liked she was failing at a serious surgery. Gloria helped ease her worries.

"Nurse, it's fine maybe she just needs some time, you know to let it settle." Gloria knew nothing about caring for injuries other than minor cuts or bruises Erik and Age had gotten growing up. The nurse however seemed too worried.

"No no no, I must be doing something wrong. There's gotta be a…you know what? Maybe I should just diagnose her again." She said sitting in front of Bo, "You ready for a few more questions?" The nurse asked.

"Mmmhmm…" Bo said and nodded as she then threw up again. "Wow, must've been some really bad fish." She said then threw up again. The nurse just got grossed out by this and continued with the questions.

"Alright, now then, oh, if you feel the need to throw up again, please, turn your head that way." Bo nodded, and the nurse asked her questions, "Okay then, have you been having any stomach pains?"

Bo thought for a moment, and answered, "Well, sort of, but it's been more so in my lower stomach." The nurse nodded and asked another question.

"Okay, what have you eaten in the past…two days?" Bo thought about it, then answered.

"Well actually, I didn't eat at all yesterday, my last meal was the day before and I had no problems then." This confused the nurse even more, but she started to pick up a small hunch.

"Okay, uh, where were you the past few days?"

"Well, Erik said he was looking for something in our old home, Age, he told me this, so I went to go look for him there. When I found him, he said he was having a hard time finding it, but then he…" she quickly thought up a lie, "Started crying and asked me to comfort him. So I did and we fell asleep next to each other. The morning after I just had these horrible stomach pains that seem to come from nowhere, that's why when Gloria found me, I was leaning over, because I could stand up straight without it hurting."

The nurse was absolutely confuzzled. She had no idea what could cause stomach pain to a penguin who didn't eat anything and had been walking for a number of hours…but then it hit her. "Wait, did you say you slept next to Erik?" Bo nodded, "And what happened during that time?" Bo shrugged her shoulders, she was asleep, how could she know what happened? "Uh-huh, yeah, okay, uh thank you, I'll have your diagnostics soon, just stand by." Then she leaned over to Gloria as Bo threw up again. "May I speak with you, outside?" she whispered. Gloria nodded as they walked outside.

"What's wrong?" Gloria asked, concerned for Bo.

"Okay I know you think I'm gonna sound crazy, but there's no way Bo suffering from a severe stomach ache, not after her symptoms."

"So what's wrong with her?"

"Well, this may seem a little far-fetched but, it would be possible, given her symptoms, that well…" Gloria waited for her answer, clearly not picking up the signals. "Well, think about it Gloria, what were your symptoms while you were pregnant with Erik?" Gloria thought back to that time. She remembered everything she could, and told the nurse.

"Well, I remember being light headed, having bad, lower stomach pains, I threw up a lot, I couldn't really walk without someone else's help…" Gloria got wide eyed as she picked up on the hints.

"And, she slept with Erik next to her, and according to her that's _all_ he did."

"Nurse…are you saying that…Bo is…pregnant?" the nurse just slowly nodded her head when she asked. Gloria wasn't sure how to respond, so she just simply took the fact in and told the nurse, "Okay, okay, just…don't tell her, I'll go tell Mumble." She raced off to find Mumble and Erik, but she, at the same time, felt this feeling, not of anger, but of joy and excitement, she was gonna be a grandma! Her son had found his true love! Of course she would've been happier if they had waited a few more days, but hey, all the same, she didn't care. Her only thought was that she hoped Age would be the same, if only she knew the danger he was in.

Hayley was rushing to get back to Emperor Land to get help for Age, but the only leads she had was a mild sense of direction Age had told her. Regardless, the father of her egg was in serious trouble and pain, and she couldn't stand by while he suffered. She asked numerous arctic creatures she came across which way it was, but everyone said something different, so she kept going in the direction Age had told her. She had to get there, she had to help him! Just when the sun was at its highest point, she came across a group of penguins who were older than her, but they weren't Emperor like her, she guessed they were Adelie.

"Hey pardon me!" she said over to them, then this shorter penguin with fuzz on his head stepped up.

"Hola senorita, how may me and mis amigos help you?" After that, another penguin stepped up and said something to the fuzz.

"Ramon, what are you doing? You know we gotta get back to Adelie Land by tomorrow."

"Chill Carmen baby, your beautiful Ramon just needs to help a D.I.D, after that, I promise, tonight I'm all yours." he said with a wink.

"Hmm, you really know how to charm a chica…" she said smiling. But Hayley was in a bit of a rush.

"Uh hey excuse me!" she said, all the penguins looking at her, "Do any of you know where Emperor Land is?" Then another penguin stepped up.

"Oh, our buddy Fluffy lives there, him and his familia, why do you need to go there senorita?"

"That's it! I'm not a…senorita? I'm a wife, and my mate in trouble! Would any of you happen to know Mumble or Gloria Happy Feet?" The amigos got wide eyed.

"That's our friend Fluffy! What's wrong with him senora?" Ramon asked.

"His son, Age, he been attacked by a group of Skuas and he needs help fast!" Hayley was failing her flippers, showing her help was urgent.

"Okay, okay, calm down miss…?" Carmen showed the most sensitivity of all the amigos.

"Hayley, I'm Age's mate." Lombardo, got wide eyed.

"His mujer? Isn't he like, 3?" Ramon nodded to Lombardo and turned to Hayley.

"Tell me chica, why does Fluffy's boy need help this minuto?"Ramon asked. Hayley started to cry.

"Because…I'm pregnant, and he's the daddy." She said through her tears. Ramon gasped.

"Fluffy is gonna be an abuelo? Ha, hole! Come on let's go!" Ramon said waddling off in the direction they came from. Carmen wasn't one to protest.

"It's okay miss, we'll save your husband, for now let's just get you home." Hayley nodded to Carmen's words and followed them back to Emperor Land.

Meanwhile, Gloria was searching for Mumble to tell him about Erik's chick. She was frantically searching in all the pavilions and meeting places, until she found them in a clear area a little ways outside the main center. She noticed it was only Erik and Atticus, Mumble wasn't with them. She rushed over to them to tell them the good news, though on the inside she was scared of how Mumble would take it.

"Erik! Erik sweetie!" He turned around and took notice of his mother.

"Yes mama? Is something wrong?" Erik said to his mom with full concern. Gloria felt a need to laugh, but didn't.

"No, not at all, in fact, everything is so…happy." She said this whenever she couldn't find the right word in honor of the, happy feet, that saved their nation, twice.

"Then what's up Ms. HF?" Atticus asked.

"Well, it's about…" Just then they heard a loud yelling from behind them, it was none other than the Amigos.

Erik had seen his Uncle Ramon recently, and so did Atticus and Gloria, they just weren't expecting them to be back so soon. The thing that puzzled Erik, was that there was an Emperor with them. He guessed she was a friend of theirs.

"Hola, Fluffy Jr., oh and Mrs. Fluffy," Ramon said pecking at her flipper, "We bring you troubling news." Erik, Atticus and Gloria were all instantly listening to Ramon, but he just directed their attention to the Emperor following them. "She's told us some muy malo news about your other Fluffy Jr."

"Age? Something's wrong with Age?" Erik said, stepping into the friends and up to the Emperor.

"Yes, he's been attacked by a group of Skuas, and I haven't seen him since, but that was like…" Stopped and looked at the sun, "Four to five hours ago. For all I know he could be…" she couldn't bring herself to say the word. And then she started to cry again, but Atticus quickly moved in to help.

"Whoa hey, calm down there girl. We can't help our friend out unless you calm down a little and tell us your name." Gloria thought he sounded rude, but in a way, he was right. The Emperor stopped crying and slowly picked up her head to speak.

"I'm sorry, it's just…I can't stand the thought of losing him, I love him so much." This made Erik and Gloria get wide eyed, but Erik asked her first.

"Who are you?" He asked getting closer to her; she put out her flipper to shake.

"I'm Trixie," this made Erik lose his happy face, "But my real name is Hayley, Age is my mate, nice to meet you…?" She waited for a name, but since she didn't know who she was talking to, she had just made a big mistake.

"Your…Age's…mate?" Gloria said slowly, but once again it was out of excitement, not anger.

"Yeah, and he really needs our help, so if you could tell where I could find Mumble, Gloria, or Erik Happy Feet, I'd really be grateful to you." She clearly didn't hear Ramon greet Gloria and Erik as Fluffy Jr. and Mrs. Fluffy. But Erik just stepped back and said, in a calm, bold voice,

"I'm Erik Happy Feet, and this is my Mama, Gloria Happy Feet, and this is my friend/bro, Atticus." Atticus then waved.

"Yo."

"So, you're my son's mate huh?" Gloria asked her. Hayley was still in shock at what she had revealed to them, but threw the thought away, she had to focus.

"Yes, now please, we have to gather up a search party and go look for him, he's a bit of a walk that way, and last I saw him he was about to jump into water when he got swarmed by Skuas. We need to go, like now! I can still hear him calling my name for help." She wasn't kidding, the whole walk to find help she heard Age's voice in her ear calling for help. Hayley promised she'd find help, and now that she had, she could care less if she was pregnant, she had to help her mate. Erik however had a different question.

"Okay we'll leave right away, but, I'm sorry what was your name again?" Erik may as well of fell over from shock.

"Hayley, I'm Hayley." Erik suddenly had all these memories of Age speaking of a girl from his chick hood named Hayley. How they were bonded to each other the day they met, the avalanche that tore them apart, and how he had always wondered if she was alive, and now, here she was standing in front of him, his little brother's long lost love, and she was alive!

"Hayley? You're Hayley?" she nodded, and Erik turned to Gloria and Atticus, "Guys, it's Hayley! Remember how Age had always talked about a girl named Hayley? Well this is her! She alive and they're mates!" Erik had almost completely forgotten about Age when he found this out. Gloria just stared in disbelief.

"Hayley, you're the Hayley Age was always talking about?" She blushed.

"Age always talked about me?" she said smiling down to the ice. But Atticus knocked them all back into reality.

"Um, hello! Our friend is getting pecked to death by a couple a rats wit' wings?" Gloria suddenly remembered the task at hand.

"Oh my gosh, I completely forgot about that! Um okay, Erik, you go with Hayley back to where Age was, I'll gather up some penguins for a search party, and Atticus…" she thought of something for Atticus to do. "You stay here and watch after Bo, she's really gonna need it in her state." Said Gloria, then gave Erik a smile and a wink.

They all went their separate ways, but the whole time walking, Erik just kept thinking his Mama knew. She had to, it was a parental instinct when stuff like this happened, Hayley noticed Erik's deep thinking, and felt sort of guilty not asking what was wrong. Soon enough however, the silence bothered her too much, and she was forced to break it.

"Erik, you've been staring down at the ice this whole walk, something is definitely on your mind." She could read his mind just as well as Bo and Gloria could, I guess mind reading ran in the Happy Feet family.

"Yeah, you're right. I can't help but think my mama knows about Bo." This confused Hayley, what was wrong with Bo?

"Who's Bo?" Erik hadn't told anyone, so he lied to her just like he did to everyone else.

"She's a…friend of mine, she has really bad stomach pains, and she keeps throwing up. But I'm sure it's just from the bad fish she ate."

Hayley had worked with her Uncle's nurse numerous times, and those weren't stomach ache symptoms. To her, she could see right through his lies, there was no question, Bo wasn't having a bad stomach ache, she was pregnant, and seeing as how Erik was the one who lied, she guess he was the father. Hayley took the thought in, and wondered why she wasn't having the same problems; after all, she was pregnant too! But she snapped out of it and turned back to Erik and got in front of him as to stop him from walking, and crossed her flippers.

"What?" Erik said to her, hoping she didn't catch on.

"Erik, you can't fool me. I know pregnancy symptoms when I hear them." Erik stopped dead in his tracks; he can't believe she actually solved it that fast. He didn't know what to do, so he quickly protested.

"What? You think she's pregnant? Come on Hayley, the pairings aren't until tomorrow, you really think she's carrying and egg now?" Erik wasn't as good at acting as Bo was. It all went in one ear and out the other; Hayley had nailed it, no problem.

"Yup, just as I thought, you're the father." Erik got wide eyed, she had gotten it spot on, not even the nurse got it that quick, and she was given only half the symptoms she was. But Erik just hung his head low, he couldn't lie, no to anyone. "Ah, it's okay Erik, I'm really happy for you. I just wish that someday my chick and yours get along." This made Erik look at her funny.

"You have a chick? But you're in the same generation as us! How could you have a chick right now?" Hayley didn't accidentally slip up, she knew what she said.

"Isn't it obvious?" She said to Erik, and then it hit him. Age had done the same thing he did, he had found his true love early, and then proved it.

"Hayley, are you pregnant with Age's egg?" he asked her, but she just smiled, she wasn't afraid to admit it, not to anyone. "Oh my gosh, I'm gonna be an Uncle and a Daddy!" he said flailing his flippers in joy. Hayley just smiled, she was more excited than anyone but she still feared for her life over Age.

"Um Erik, if you don't mind could we please find Age? You know, the father of this egg, because you know, it's not like he decided to stay behind on purpose." She made it clear that they had somewhere to be and someone to help.

"Oh yeah, sorry, I'm just so…amped up right now!"

"I figured you'd be, I mean, who wouldn't?" Hayley said to Erik.

Then they both continued to waddle off in the direction where the attack happened, both of them lost in their own thoughts about names and possible lessons in song and fishing. In theory, one could say both parent were horribly over preparing for the arrival of their chick.

Meanwhile back in Emperor Land, Atticus was busy helping the nurse tend to Bo. He had agreed to do whatever he could to help, and this is what Gloria told him to do. However the nurse had been gone for a while now and he had been caring for her on his own for the past hour. As he was beginning to tire, a voice from Bo brought him back.

"Atticus, where do you think she went?"

"I don't know Bo, but I can't do this by myself. I need some help." Then as if on cue, a young penguin from their generation stepped in.

"Hi, I'm Nicki, the nurse sends her regards, so she sent me to help instead." Nicki noticed Atticus was staring at her, "Um, hi, is something wrong?"

"Uh, no…not at all…I just uh, need to…ya know what? Never mind." Atticus felt so stupid after that, he couldn't speak straight around this penguin, and he didn't know why.

After some time of helping Nicki out, Atticus began to warm up to her. He helped calm Bo down, he talked to her, he gave her the food and water she needed, and Nicki was really starting to like Atticus. She thought he was kind, sweet, heart-warming, caring, and after his little stutter when they first met, she also thought he was a bit of a clown, but funny nonetheless. It was odd, but the next topic of conversation between the two didn't come up until now.

"So…I saw your performance yesterday, and I thought you did a great job, I can rap a little myself." Atticus was surprised at this, he'd never heard another penguin rap besides him and his Pa.

"Well, why don't you let me hear, maybe I can give you some help." She blushed at his request.

"What do you say Bo? Wanna hear some entertainment?" Bo could see the connection between the two, she knew this was gonna be good.

"Of course." She said with a smile.

"Well, alright, Atticus, wanna start me off? You know gimme something to work with?" Atticus thought for a moment, then it hit him.

"Alright, check this…" **(Letting Go-Sean Kingston ft. Nicki Manaj, lyrics altered to fit penguins)**

_Hey yo gone, you Mr. Wingston _

Nicki sang this, and Atticus was already impressed. After that Atticus gave her a nice, long hook.

_Dutty dutty dutty love_

_I'm feeling like you're letting go_

_Dutty dutty dutty love_

_I'm feeling like you're letting go_

_Dutty dutty dutty love _

_I'm feeling like you're letting go _

_Dutty dutty dutty love_

_Don't be scared girl, call on me_

_'Cuz me ah want you for my eyes I'm a lover, you see_

_And the way you ah whine and the way you ah gwan_

_Say de man dem ah try fi rush ya, like dem prey non-stop_

_But baby girl will you be mine_

_Let go, show your skin because you're one of a kind Me nah go lie, girl I must be in love_

_'Cuz the way you ah whine you have me caught up_

_Dutty dutty dutty love_

_I'm feeling like you're letting go_

_Dutty dutty dutty love_

_I'm feeling like you're letting go_

_Dutty dutty dutty love_

_I'm feeling like you're letting go_

_Dutty dutty dutty love_

_What if you would just come right out of these 'coz_

_You can finally feel the wind when it blows_

_Don't be scared to be free to let go, show it off_

_Feel like letting go_

_Oh oh oh oh_

_I'm hearing your man not right_

_'Cuz you need gone wing inna your life, _

_gyal wing ah mi name and mi name can't change_

_And if I come over there I'll let go with them lips_

_Yo, I feel like letting go If you never know, baby now you know'_

_Cuz you're one of a kind, and you dress so fine_

_Like my diamond on my chain, you shine so bright now_

_Dutty dutty dutty love_

_I'm feeling like you're letting go_

_Dutty dutty dutty love_

_I'm feeling like you're letting go_

_Dutty dutty dutty love_

_I'm feeling like you're letting go_

_Dutty dutty dutty love_

_What if you would just come right out of these 'coz_

_You can finally feel the wind when it blows_

_Don't be scared to be free to let go, show it off_

_Feel like letting go_

_ Oh oh oh oh _

Nicki was insanely amazed by Atticus skills, and so was Bo. She started feeling the beat of the song, and felt she was ready to join in herself. She signaled to Atticus that she was ready, and she took it from there.

_Hey you're gone, you Mr. Wingston_

_You say you have it, Louis it, and then some_

_Look how you gwan in ah your ice_

_You pretty and you nice_

_You done know say Nicki ah your wife_

_But true say I be up where you stay_

_I aint like them other witches that be actin' loosely_

_Know you gettin' hyper, I know you wanna get up in it_

_But I just want to think about it for another minute_

_I think I like your style ya'll_

_Why ya'll_

_Why don't we let go?_

_Hey yo_

_And I ain't try to tell 'em_

_And I ain't try to sell 'em_

_It's YSL teddy_

_I ain't gotta spell it_

_And yes, I killa kill 'em_

_I guess I am the villain_

_I park on the curb, I'm the owner of the building, the building_

_Ya deaf?_

_Boy me soon lef'_

_Come get this Playboy bunny like Hugh Hef_

_Sigh, Rastafari_

_Dutty dutty d-d-d-dutty_

Atticus was also very impressed by her, he couldn't think of any tips to give her, because he thought she had nailed it on her own.As soon as she was finished, he figured he may as well finish it off.

_What if you would just come right out of these 'coz_

_You can finally feel the wind when it blows_

_Don't be scared to be free to let go, show it off_

_Feel like letting go_

_Oh oh oh oh_

_Feel like letting go_

_Oh oh oh oh_

_Feel like letting go_

_Oh oh oh oh_

The song ended with them stopping with their heads a little too close for comfort. Nicki could've of kissed Atticus if she wanted they were so close. But she didn't, and just pulled away in a huge pink blush.

"Uh…" Atticus said, trying to think of something to say. Just then the former nurse walked in.

"Okay, I'm so sorry miss Bo, I take it Atticus and Nicki were helpful?" She asked as Bo looked over to them. Nicki was smiling very much, and Atticus was still searching for words to say.

"Yeah, they were, very good to me. They even sang me a song." The nurse looked over to them.

"Really?"

"Yup, well, I gotta go, big day tomorrow. Uh, bye Atticus…" Nicki said as she left, but before she did, she turned around and gave Atticus a quick kiss on the cheek.

Atticus watched Nicki walk away, she only looked back once, and when she did, they both smiled at each other, and then she turned and kept walking. Atticus thought back to one of the lyrics she sang.

"_You done know say Nicki ah your wife"_

He hadn't thought much of it at the time it was sung, but now that he looked back on it and thought on it, he came to an unbelievable realization. He sort of suddenly did want Nicki as his wife. He felt more comfortable and safe singing with her than anyone he'd ever met, even his own Pa. But his moment of serenity was broke by the nurse breaking some news to Bo.

"Okay so while I was gone, I did some comparing to the illnesses you gave me, and I've come to an exciting conclusion." The nurse had to take care of other patients, but he whole time she was trying to come up with an excuse to tell Bo she was pregnant.

"What, you figured out what's wrong with her?" Atticus asked, concerned for his friend.

"Well, call me crazy, but…congratulations miss Bo, you're pregnant!" Bo and Atticus both got wide eyed from this, Atticus because he couldn't believe it, Bo because well, she was busted.

"Is this true Bo?" Atticus asked her. Bo was just like Erik, she couldn't lie to anyone very well.

"Yes Atticus, it's true."

"Well that's good to know, I'm not wrong. So I guess sleeping next to one another wasn't the only thing you and Erik did the other night?" the nurse asked Bo. Even though it was a little uncomforting, she fessed up.

"No, it wasn't. Yes, we…well, you know." Bo said. The nurse just nodded satisfied with her work, and turned to leave, because there was nothing she could do, because all of her pains were natural during pregnancy.

Atticus on the on the other flipper wasn't so down to the ice about this. If it hadn't been for the song he just sang with Nicki, I'm sure he would've exploded. "You mated with Erik? Behind all of our backs?" he asked Bo. She just slowly nodded her head in shame of her backstabbing actions against her friend, but still had no regrets as to loving Erik. "Bo, why didn't you just tell me you loved Erik? I would've understood and I'm sure so would've his parents."

"I would've understood what?" Mumble said walking in. He noticed Bo lying up against the wall gripping her belly, and he was instantly concerned for her. "Bo, what's wrong with you?"

"That's what I brought you here to find out." Gloria said walking in, then she looked at Bo. "So, why don't you tell your future father-in-law why you're here?" This made Mumble look at Bo with a very confuzzled face.

"Father-in-law?" he asked her. She knew this was it, and she was ready for it. She just wished Erik was here with her.

"Yes, Mr. Happy Feet, I'm pregnant." She said looking directly into Mumble's eyes.

"You're…pre…pre-pregnant?" she nodded and continued.

"Yes I am and…" she was interrupted by the one voice she needed to hear.

"I'm the father." It was Erik, with Hayley close behind. Mumble knew his skills as a parent were about to be put to the test.

"Erik, you have found love, in Bo?" he asked first, trying his best to stay calm and not burn up with rage.

"Yes Pa, and I'll never leave her side, not ever, I love her, and she loves me. That's why we did what we did, because we couldn't wait to show our love for one another, we couldn't wait to become mates. We didn't even have to sing to one another." Bo looked up at him and smiled.

"Of course, it never hurts to try." Erik smiled back down to her, and they both felt the same song come into their hearts. **(My Destiny-Katharine McPhee)**

_I have always dreamed of this_

_I'll admit that there was something I missed_

_Wonderin' if it is for real_

_Every mistake, every wrong turn_

_Every time I lost my way_

_Led me to this, moment of bliss, tonight_

_With you, finally I can break free_

_With you, I saw a changing in my destiny_

_Dream come true, it's so funny now that I see _

_How different life turned out to be_

_You were always by my side_

_That you believed in me was enough reason why_

_I didn't stop, didn't give up_

_Even if I sometimes lost hope_

_I did my best, and I am blessed_

_In life_

_With you, finally I can break free_

_With you, I saw a changing in my destiny_

_Dream come true, it's so funny now that I see_

_How different life turned to be_

_Can I get any higher?_

_Tell me, does it get any stronger?_

_I owe it to you, that I made it through_

_I never could've done it, without you_

_With you, I can break free, yeah_

_I saw a changing in my destiny_

_Dream come true, it's so funny now that I see _

_How different life turned out to be_

_Oh, cause of you, I saw a changing in my destiny_

_Dream come true, it's so funny now that I see_

_How different life turned out to be_

_I've realized that it's my destiny_

All of Mumble's doubts had vanished, he had guessed wrong. He had originally thought you had to sing in order to know if you loved them, but his son and his new mate had proved him wrong. He should've known this though; he never sang a note to Gloria.

As they finished singing, Hayley looked down at her belly, and then she started to cry again. Everyone looked at her and Mumble was the first to say something.

"Hello, um, are you okay?" he didn't know this penguin, what was he supposed to say? But Erik stepped in and helped him out.

"Pa, this is Hayley, Age's mate." Mumble got wide eyed, both his son's had mates already? "She's the Hayley Age was always telling us about, the one whom he couldn't stop thinking of, his one true love. She survived the disaster just like Age did, and now she's carrying his egg." Hayley still wasn't shy to admit it, in fact she felt like she couldn't say it enough.

Mumble was about ready to faint. Both of his sons had mates and were on their way to becoming fathers? He thought was mad and happy at the same time, joyous and raged, excited and disappointed. But then a thought entered his mind, where was Age?

"Hey, where's Age to begin with?" Mumble asked, but Hayley managed to answer through her tears.

"He's…gone." Mumble couldn't believe what he just heard; neither could Bo, Atticus or Gloria.

"What? He's gone?" Hayley just nodded.

"Yeah, she took me to the site of the attack, and well…" Erik said and let Hayley take over, she stopped crying, for she had no more tears.

"All we found was a blood trail leading into the ocean, a leopard seal must've got him, or whatever was left of him after the skuas were finished." Erik eyed her, she forgot something.

"Uh Hayley," she looked at him. "You're forgetting something." She looked at him, and remembered,

"If you're talking about that set of footprints we found, it's nothing. Probably just a penguin avoiding the remains by pushing it into the water." The tracks they found were right beside the blood trail, almost as if the penguin had shoved the body into the water. "Now if you don't mind I'm gonna go to the sea, I need to be alone." Hayley said walking away, there was nothing to be said about everyone else. They were all so shocked and depressed they couldn't think or speak.

As Hayley continued to walk to the water, she felt as though she didn't have a reason to live. Her true love was gone, somewhere in the belly of an arctic predator. She continued waddling, and she had stopped thinking of names, she was instead thinking of when to commit suicide. Without her mate she had no reason to continue on, no reason to raise the chick inside her if it didn't have a father. She reached the ice cliff and looked down, it was a long drop, maybe if done at the right angle, you could break your neck on impact. Hayley had no regrets of mating with Age, but she did have regrets of not going back for him sooner. She felt as though the whole thing was her fault, and from great sorrow, comes great songs.

_Here I am _

_I'm standing on my feet_

_I am now_

_Striving through this world_

_Alone_

_Your touch is so _

_Far away_

_Like a bottomless hole_

_I am nothing _

_My soul has left my body_

_No heart no feelings_

_I could hold everything_

_But I, I need the cold _

_Cause it, it feels like home_

_The cold feels like home_

She was about to jump, about to end it all, about to end her pain, her eternal loneliness, when a familiar voice broke the post silence of her song, and gave her a reason not to jump.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you, he's still alive." She looked down to see who it was, and it was her Uncle Richie. Next to him was a maimed, ravaged penguin, who was still breathing, very faintly, but was hanging on. It was Age, she could feel it.

"Age!" she screamed and jumped to the water. She landed in and lightninged onto the ice cleavage where they were.

Age was in no condition to do anything, he was completely torn apart. He couldn't speak, walk, or eat. Hayley was amazed he found the strength to breath. After a look over her horrid mate, she turned to Richie.

"You came back? After what happened at the hideout?"

"I'm not one to tear apart true love Trixie, if you love this boy, with all your heart, then please, I give you mine, and all your family's blessings. Be happy, but for starters, save him." Just then the whole gang came over the edge; they had heard Hayley scream and came to see what was wrong. They saw Hayley talking to another penguin, and another bloody penguin that they could tell was barely clinging to life.

"Get down here you guys, it's Age! We gotta help him now!" they all followed without question as they launched themselves into the water and landed back onto the ice.

The all gently grabbed a part of Age's torn body and very, very slowly moved him up the cleavage to the nurse pavilion. They knew even the smallest tug could possibly sever his limbs from his body, he was that tore up. Only Mumble stayed behind, he wanted to talk to Richie.

"Thank you, for saving my son."

"I only did what family should do, I brought her true love back, nothing you wouldn't have done I'm sure." He then turned to leave, but Mumble stopped him.

"You could stay, we have lots of room, and seeing as how your niece is carrying an egg, you might want to see your great niece or nephew." Richie hadn't thought about, that he figured he had wronged Hayley too much to see her again.

"I'd like that."

"Welcome to Emperor Land." Mumble said with a smile.

As Age lay resting in the cozy ice pavilion, Hayley was the only one permitted to be with him, for too many people could cause shock on awakening. Hayley had started feeling the pains of pregnancy as Bo already had, but that wasn't going to stop her from singing to her love. **(It Will Be Me-Melissa Etheridge)**

_If you hear a voice in the middle of the night_

_Sayin' it'll be alright_

_It will be me_

_If you feel a hand guiding you along_

_When the path seems wrong_

_It will be me_

_There is no mountain that I can't climb_

_For you I'd swim through the rivers of time_

_As you go your way and I go mine_

_A light will shine_

_And it will be me_

_If there is a key that goes to your heart_

_A special part_

_It will be me_

_If you need a friend_

_Call out to the wind_

_To hold you again_

_It will be me_

_Oh how the world seems so unfair_

_Creating a love that can not be shared_

_As you go your way and I go mine_

_A light will shine_

_And it will be me_

_Past the ever after there's a place for two_

_In your tears of laughter_

_I'll be there for you_

_In the sun and the moon_

_In the land and the sea_

_Look all around you_

_It will be me_

_There is no mountain that I can't climb_

_For you I'd swim through the rivers of time_

_As you go your way and I go mine _

_A light will shine_

_And it will be me_

_It will be me_

_It will be me..._

As she finished, Age began to stir, and then, his eyes opened. She couldn't speak, and there were no words to describe the joy in her heart, soul and whole being.

"H-Hay-Hayley? Is…is that…that…y-y-you?" Age said extremely weakly.

"Yes Age it's me, and I won't leave your side, not ever." Just then, Mumble walked in, and gave the couple good news.

"Age…you and Hayley have been chosen to do the opening medley for tomorrow, you'll be joined by Erik and Bo." Age was always an underdog, no matter what, he always pulled through and did what his heart said was right.

(The next day, at the start of the pairing)

Age had made a full clean off, he may have been really sore from the cuts, bruises and pecks, but that wasn't going to stop him from having the honor off doing the opening medley for his generation. Hayley, Erik, and Bo all joined to his side, and the whole nation sang along.

_There's no force to bring us together_

_As one crowd under the same sky_

_Turn to your special other_

_Don't let time pass you by_

_We're a nation! Not a civil war!_

_We're a nation! No blood no gore!_

_We stand strong together_

_Let us join fins and get it right_

_If only just this one time!_

Age stepped forward and soloed for a few lines.

_I hate you, you hate me_

_That is what all of you seem to be_

_Get real! You're all children of this earth_

_We must be tall and say, what we feel!_

Atticus moved out and gave the chorus a little down town style.

_We're a nation! No no civil war!_

_Ow!_

_Nation! No blood or gore!_

_Imma be sore _

_But I be wanting more_

_Yet we all adore_

_The price it takes to soar_

_Yet I need no contemplation_

_Yeah, cause baby, we're a nation!_

Hayley came forth with her take.

_Yeah! You stand by me_

_We all stand together_

_We're ready for anything_

_We stand proud_

And last, Erik and Bo sang together.

_Cause we're a nation! There's no civil war!_

_Yes a nation yeah no blood no gore!_

_We'll get it right this time_

Erik sang only this by himself.

_Cause we stand united_

And then, everyone sang, the elders, the amigos, Gloria even persuaded Mumble to throw his voice in there.

_We stand strong!_

And with that, the opening medley was done, and the pairing for the future of Emperor Land, had begun.

The songs went on for hours, songs being thrown left and right to penguin that were searching for the one. But the song that broke the silence to Atticus was Nicki; her singing to him could break someone's heart. What he didn't know was, she secretly waited for his singing. Nicki sang her heartsong loud and proud and waited for Atticus' voice to join hers. **(Super Bass-Nicki Manaj, yes I gave her that name on purpose)**

_This one is for the boys with the boomin' system_

_Top down, AC with the coolin' system_

_When he come up in the club, he be blazin' up_

_Got stacks on deck like he savin' up_

_And he ill, he real, he might got a deal_

_He pop bottles and he got the right kind of build_

_He cold, he dope, he might sell coke_

_He always in the air, but he never fly coach_

_He's a really really trip, trip, sailor of the ship, ship_

_When he make it drip, drip kiss him on the lip, lip_

_That's the kind of dude I was lookin' for_

_And yes you'll get slapped if you're lookin' oh_

_I said, excuse me you're a hell of a guy_

_I mean my, my, my, my you're like pelican fly_

_I mean, you're so shy and I'm loving your tie_

_You're like slicker than the guy with the thing on his eye, oh_

_Yes I did, yes I did_

_Somebody please tell him who the eff I is_

_I am Nicki Penguin, I mack them dudes up_

_Back coupes up, and chuck the deuce up_

_Boy you got my heartbeat runnin' away_

_Beating like a drum and it's coming your way_

_Can't you hear that boom, badoom, boom_

_Boom, badoom, boom bass?_

_He got that super bass_

_Boom, badoom, boom_

_Boom, badoom, boom bass_

_Yeah that's that super bass_

_Boom, badoom, boom_

_Boom, badoom, boom, he got that super bass_

_Boom, badoom, boom_

_Boom, badoom, boom, yeah that's that super bass_

Atticus finally made his way through the crowd and sung to Nicki. To her, that was the song she was looking for.** (Dumb Love-Sean Kingston)**

_You tell me that you're leaving_

_but then you wanna leave me_

_and never make your way to the door_

_i tell you that you're too much_

_and then i'll miss you too much_

_don't even know what we're fighting for_

_you keep my car?, girl_

_and then you go get it fixed_

_i talk one of them other chicks_

_just to make you jealous_

_how can we make it right_

_when we both put up a fit_

_you make me so mad_

_it's kind of hard to compete_

_but when i look into your pretty eyes_

_my heart just drops_

_girl you make me dumb, dumb, dumb, dumb, dumb,_

_dumb-b-do-b-dumb_

_dumb, dumb, dumb, dumb, _

_I love you so dumb, dumb, dumb, dumb, dumb _

_dumb-b-do-b-dumb_

_wh-wh-wh-whoa_

She turned to him and they were quick to combine their heartsongs into one beautiful song that would last a life time. **(Born to Be Wild-Sean Kingston ft. Nicki Manaj)**

_I was just a player in the game of love_

_Till she came and turned mi tables around_

_Stacking up mi chips lining up all mi cars_

_Still they all came tumbling down_

_Man I think I might, think I might make her the one_

_Take them stealin me up on the run_

_she hits me like a shot gun, I'm done_

_If love is the beat she's the stead of my drum_

_Fly me away, the kingdom come_

_She got me going, daram-dam-daram-dam_

_Hey-o, hey-o, I was born to be wild_

_Oh no, oh no, till love shot me down_

_I'd rather die a thousand times, than live without your love_

_I'm sayin, Hey-o, hey-o, I was born to be wild_

_Oh no, oh no till you came around_

_I'd rather die a thousand times, than live without your love_

_Hey-o, hey-o, I was born to be wild_

_Oooohh I'm blown away, uh whoa, I'm blown away_

_Love was just a word till I bought me a ballah_

_Oh you everything for holding me down_

_I'm tellin all my homies that mi find mi a queen_

_In the jungle so you facing the crowd_

_Man I think I might, think I might make her the one_

_Take them stealin me up on the run_

_she hits me like a shot gun, I'm done_

_If love is the beat she's the stead of my drum_

_Fly me away, the kingdom come_

_She got me going, daram-dam-daram-dam_

_Hey-o, hey-o, I was born to be wild_

_Oh no, oh no, till love shot me down_

_I'd rather die a thousand times, than live without your love_

_I'm sayin, Hey-o, hey-o, I was born to be wild_

_Oh no, oh no till you came around_

_I'd rather die a thousand times, than live without your love_

_Hey-o, hey-o, I was born to be wild_

No question, Nicki was right at home in this song of theirs, she picked up right from there.

_If you would die, then why would you try_

_And if you reply, a suit and a tie_

_Is what I would buy, then you will be mine_

_Because you and I, we're born to be wild_

_I am Mother you King Other, Who knew you would land me?_

_I've been known to eat these rappers cook em like chef Ramsey_

_Mission accomplished, you're my accomplice_

_Cover of Vogue, yea Ima go topless_

_Ima go bonkers Ima go crazy_

_Ima get reckless and have a baby_

_Then hang the baby off of the balcony_

_Teachin him to "moon walk", tell him he's happening YAAAeeaahhh!_

Atticus finished the song, with a small medley of his own.

_I'm sayin, Hey-o, hey-o, I was born to be wild_

_Oh no, oh no till you came around_

_I'd rather die a thousand times, than live without your love_

_Hey-o, hey-o, I was born to be wild_

_Oooohh I'm blown away, uh whoa, I'm blown away_

The song ended the same way the last one did, with their heads very close. Only this time, she did kiss him. His friends were right, Atticus confessed to himself, true love did exist.

Erik need not sing to Bo, they had just watched the whole thing and were cheering Atticus and Nicki on, while keeping Bo's pains in check. Age and Hayley did the same thing, only they definitely didn't need to sing to one another. They had already found love in the other the same way Erik had, with an egg. Mumble and Gloria watched from afar, they too were satisfied with how it all turned out. In all this joy and excitement, awe, and happiness, Gloria had an idea.

"Mumble," she whispered to him. "Want to give Erik a real brother?"

(A month later)

As all the eggs had been laid, and the females were off to the ocean, all of our penguins had their fins full over the winter. Bo and Hayley had laid their eggs a few days before everyone else, but it didn't matter, they were still gonna hatch at about the same time. The four males all looked at one another with their eggs on their feet, when Atticus spoke up.

"Yo, Uncle Mumble?" Mumble stopped looking at the egg on his feet and looked at Atticus. "What's it like, you know, when the egg first hatches and they look at you?" Mumble knew how to describe it but simply said,

"You'll find out soon enough now won't you?"

(One cold, blissful winter later)

The sun had just peaked over the ice as the eggs began to hatch, many shouts were heard, shouts of it being a boy, or a girl, how proud daddy was, but the most meaning full words weren't spoken in shouts, but in looks. Mumble looked down at his 3rd son, whom he named Jake, Bo had given him the idea, and he liked it, he knew what he was in for in raising another chick, but he was ready and couldn't be more excited. Atticus looked down to his new daughter, whom he and Nicki had decided to name Kourtney, to him, she was perfect. But there was no question between Erik and Age. After Bo had given the name Jake to Mumble she let Erik decide on the name, she trusted him.

"So what's my grandchick's name?" Mumble said waddling over to Erik with Jake on his feet. Erik stared down into his son's eyes, and said very proudly,

"His name is Gabriel. And he's destined for greatness in our world." After that Gabriel jumped off his pa's feet and ran over to a young girl, who was off her pa's feet.

"Hi, I'm Gab, I think…is my name Gab, pa?" Gabriel asked in his cute little, newly hatched chick voice.

"Yes Gab, that's your name." Erik said to his boy.

"So yeah I'm Gab, and you are?" the little girl turned around to her pa, and asked the same question Age asked his pa.

"Daddy…what's my name?" Age looked into his daughter's eyes, he finally came up with a name that sung with hope, an name that brought peace to those ears whom it touched.

"Syrena…" he said to his little girl. Gabriel just giggled and they two ran off together. Erik then walked up to Age.

"So, you think we should tell them they can't be together, because you know, were brothers?" Age knew what he had to say.

"Well Erik, were not actually brothers, so if they're meant to be, then they can, and I'll look forward to the day they do, because then we really will be brothers." Erik had called Age his brother for so long he forgot that he wasn't actually his brother.

"Oh right, but hey in that case, what are friends for huh?" he said giving his friend a flipper bump.

"What are friends for." Age said, he knew what friends were for, he just didn't need to say it.

"Gab come on back here!" They two new chicks came back and Gab hopped on his daddy's feet, and he walked away with Mumble, talking about something Age couldn't hear. Syrena had watched the four of them leave, but she could take her eyes off of Gabriel. Then she turned to her daddy and asked the only question he knew he could answer without hesitation.

"Daddy, how do you know when you're in love?" Syrena was much too young to ask such a question, but there was no question, after all Age had been through, and he was going to go through, he knew the answer.

"Oh my dearest Syrena…" She looked at her Pa, "You know when."

The End

**And that concludes the story of Age and all the other HF penguins, please if anyone wants to do a spinoff of this story, don't hesitate. I'd love to see what my fans do with my characters. If there was no label on the song, it belongs to me. Look out for my newest Spyro FanFic, and I'm not continuing Children of Vashj'ir until I get a review. Thank you all and don't worry, I'll bring these characters back…someday. And I mean what I typed; only you know when you're in love.**


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